The Hood
by Lawn Girl
Summary: Bella's crush on quiet Edward Cullen seems to be one sided. But when they start hanging out will things change or does it all stay in The Hood? My entry for the Twi-High Contest - now continued!
1. Smith & Nutella

**A/N:** So, uh...y'all remember when I said I entered the Twi-High Anonymous challenge? Well...I'm a winner O_o

I'm totally shocked and completely blown away. I came in 2nd place in the open vote and was 1st place for judge's vote.

You can see the read the other fab stories here: **http:/www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/u/2165753/Twi-High_Anonymous_Challenge**

This story wouldn't have been possible without the bang up beta job done by the fabulous **FarDareisMai2 **and **PerfectlyPersuasive**. Any mistakes left in here, are all my baked ass's fault *giggles* And a special big thanks to **HunterHunting** for pre-reading and doing a little beta work of her own. I heart you all so much. If by some weird random chance you haven't read the stories these 3 ladies write, then go do so asap - all 3 of them can be found in my favorites!

_Disclaimer: I don't own these guys - they belong solely to S. Meyer. I just enjoy getting them high._

**

* * *

**

The hair on the nape of his neck is finer than the rest of it. I chew on the end of my pencil as I contemplate what color it actually is. It's certainly not regular old brown, but it doesn't quite register as red to me either.

Auburn? That sounds too girly - like it came off the side of a Clairol box. His hair is definitely all natural. Copper? Bronze? Now it just sounds like I'm describing a handful of change.

_Hmm… _

I lean forward in my chair a few more inches so I can inspect further. Before I'm able to decipher if perhaps it's some shade of cinnamon, my concentration is broken.

"Bella?"

I vaguely register somebody calling my name, and for a brief second I wonder if it's him. I blink and notice he's twisted around in his seat; two perfect orbs in the most beautiful shade of green are now staring at me, a smirk playing on his lips. I want to stop staring back at him, but his eyes are hypnotizing.

_Hmm…are they simply green, though?_ _Perhaps emerald?_ _Pine or Jade?_

"Miss Swan!"

This time my name is called more forcefully and pulls me out of my hazy thoughts instantly.

_Shit. _

It's now painfully clear that the voice belongs to Mr. Banner. I can feel the telltale prickle of embarrassment begin to heat up my cheeks. My eyes fly to the board, taking in the numbers that are written there, wondering if I can figure out what the heck Mr. Banner just asked me without having to make him repeat his question.

"Um…I…uh…" I stall for time, and miraculously the bell rings, saving me from my misery.

Mr. Banner gives me a pointed look and I shrink in my seat, embarrassed beyond all belief. The beautiful boy in front of me gives me an amused look, before he grabs his worn backpack from off the floor and heads out the door. I watch as he has to stop and pull his slouching pants back up around his skinny waist before finally walking out the door.

"Bella."

Mr. Banner's voice breaks me free from my daydreaming haze once more.

"Yes?" I look up at him and try my best to look like the picture perfect version of innocence.

"Please try and stay focused while in my class, okay?" he asks with a raised eyebrow.

I nod as I scramble to gather all my books and make it to my next class on time. Focus isn't my problem. I am focused, just not on science. Instead, for the past few weeks all I've managed to focus on has been Edward Cullen.

_Edward Cullen._

Quiet, smart, unassuming Edward Cullen.

Oh, and have I forgotten to mention how incredibly fuckhot he is? Yeah, there's that. In addition to his perfect hair, he has those piercing green eyes that just bore into you, even when he's not staring at you, they're just that good. His skin is flawless and compliments his perfect bone structure. It's amazing he's slipped under Calvin Klein's radar. It's also amazing that you never hear of any girl getting between him and his Calvin's, either. For all his fuckhotness, Edward Cullen remains perpetually single. I can't figure out why. From everything I can tell, he is perfect, and I'm relatively certain that he's straight. Otherwise, I'm certain one of the queens from the theater club would have already scooped him up ages ago. I can ask him if he's dating anyone, but that requires me to actually talk to him, something that hasn't exactly come up yet.

It's not like we haven't exchanged words; a friendly "here," when he passes back a test in class, or there's that time he asked if I had an extra pencil. I'm just working my way up to saying something...significant. It's really not my fault. Those damn eyes of his make me forget my words. So I usually just smile and look away quickly, kicking myself for not having had the guts to say something brilliant.

I think about all of this as I rush to my next class, which is clear across campus. Daydreaming about Edward Cullen definitely slows me down, and I make it to the door of my classroom with only a couple of seconds to spare. I use them to catch my breath, wiping away the thin sheen of sweat that has gathered from my upper lip. Just as I'm about to walk in, somebody jostles me from behind, and I turn to see who it is.

"Hey, Bells," drawls the blond boy behind me as he drapes an arm across my shoulder.

"Oh. Hey, Jasper," I reply while playfully shoving him off of me.

By some weird twist of school scheduling fate, Jasper Whitlock and I are the only seniors in this photography class. That fact right there cemented our friendship, but we actually kind of click, too. Plus, it doesn't hurt that we both sneak off together to grab a smoke when kooky Mrs. Cope lets us go outside to take pictures. We make it in, just as Mrs. Cope starts prattling on about some group assignment. Thankfully we only have to work in pairs and Jasper gives me a knowing nod, meaning we better be together so he doesn't have to deal with any of the sophomore freaks. I nod right back at him, even though I know I'm going to get the evil eye from at least four of them now. There's a gaggle of them harboring a thing for Jasper. Since he pretty much ignores them, yet hangs out with me, I'm the target of their jealousy and ire. I turn my head, and see one of them glaring at me in a way that tells me she's watched way too many episodes of _Gossip Girl_. I actually cower under her stare. Rolling my eyes, I whisper loud enough so only Jasper can hear.

"Your groupies look like they want to skin me alive. Maybe you should just toss them a bone." I can't help giggling at my lame humor.

Jasper smirks, then makes things ten times worse by draping his arm over my shoulder again. I pinch his side, causing him to yelp and step back. I can't help laughing some more as I watch him rub his ribs, pouting his lips at me. I grab his hand and drag him towards the back of the classroom. We can have more privacy and discuss this assignment without being stared at to death.

While Jasper grabs his notebook from his bag, I take a minute to size him up. Normally I think of Jasper as the brother I never had, and he treats me like one of the guys, but I try and see what all the fuss is about. His messy blond hair falls in his face, covering his icy blue eyes. He's really nice to look at, and I can see why the Freshman Barbies get their panties in a twist over him. He's also friendly and easy to talk too. From our discussions in class, I know he's got good taste in music and movies as well. But for all he's got going for him, Jasper Whitlock is no Edward Cullen.

I snort, which of course grabs Jasper's attention.

"What's with the ladylike noises, Swan?"

"Nothing. Let's just figure this project out. How about you do this part here…" and soon we're focusing on the assignment, my snort forgotten.

As class ends, Jasper leans over and gets my attention.

"Hey, you should come to Aro's tomorrow. We're just gonna hang and stuff, but I think the guys will get a kick out of you."

"Aro?" I ask, while I mentally flip through our yearbook. I'm pretty sure I'd remember a kid with a name like that. Maybe he's new?

"Yeah. Zachary Aronstein? We just call him Aro, saves time. So…you down?"

I'm pretty sure my Saturday is free, but I don't rush to fill Jasper in on that sad fact. Instead, I pretend to think about it for a second, but when I actually do think about it, I remember that I promised I'd make dinner for my dad.

"What time?"

"I dunno, maybe one or two? I can come pick you up on my way."

"Yeah, sure. Why not? I just need to be back by six. I…uh, I have dinner plans."

There. That makes it sound like I actually have a life.

"Sounds good, see you tomorrow."

I scrawl my address on a scrap of paper and flick it at Jasper, who catches it with ease. As I leave the classroom, careful to avoid the Barbie Brigade, I find myself wondering what Edward Cullen has planned for this weekend.

Jasper calls it "The Hood," and to be honest, it makes it sound cooler than it is. He's been talking it up the entire ride over, and I'm expecting something completely kick ass. As I look at the old garage in the back of Aro's house, I'm pretty sure kickass has never been uttered in the same sentence as this place. The old, dilapidated garage with blackened out windows stands before me, almost begging me to make fun of it. I keep my mouth shut, for Jasper's sake. He's looking at me expectantly and I give him a smile, which seems to satisfy him, because he grabs my arm and pulls me in, shouting as we go.

"Hey, motherfuckers! We're here, and I've got a girl with me, so y'all better be decent!"

"Who'd you bring, your mother?" snorts somebody and I stifle a giggle, while Jasper flips the bird at the offending person.

We walk further in and I allow my eyes to adjust to the low lighting. It's dimly lit, with two lava lamps and a couple strings of colorful Christmas lights making up the only light in the space. The walls are covered in a mixture of old movie posters and various quotes written in marker. A funky, old tapestry covers the ceiling and I have to admit that clearly some thought must have gone into the décor of this place. I just can't tell what they were thinking.

Looking over I notice Aro and his buddy Marcus Volterra. I smile in acknowledgement when Aro and Marcus wave hello. They're sitting across from the couch in a couple of orange, plastic chairs, flicking Uno cards at each other. I try and make myself comfy on a dusty, beat up couch and pray that the stains I'm sitting on are just juice or something equally normal. Jasper heads off in the direction of a mini-fridge, scrounging around for something to drink. I make another sweep of the space with my eyes and notice somebody sitting in a recliner in the far corner, but a shadow covers his face, so I can't see who it is. I vaguely nod in the recliner's direction to be polite. As I settle in, I notice that Aro and Marcus are engaged in a heated debate, and I shift towards them, listening in.

"Dude, I just don't buy it," I hear Aro argue passionately. "_Clerks_ is far superior to _Chasing Amy_. There's just no comparison. We see the introduction of two of the funniest fucks ever – Jay and Silent Bob. _Clerks_ is their debut, bro. Also, you get to hear the word 'fuck' be used in all its various forms…noun, verb, swear, adjective…" he trails off with a dreamy smile.

"I dunno, man," counters Marcus. "The whole black and white aspect just seems like he's trying too hard, like he's trying to be all avant garde and shit. On the other hand, _Chasing Amy_ has Joey Lauren Adams, and you know she's hot. It also launched the career of one Mr. Ben Affleck. And hello…it has lesbians! Don't forget the lesbians!"

Now Marcus' face turns all starry eyed and dreamy. I try my best to stifle a laugh at their argument, but it unfortunately still comes out, only in the form of a loud snort. Both boys stop their conversation and turn to stare at me. Aro looks amused, but Marcus seems a bit put out, like my laughter offends him somehow.

"What?" Aro asks, his tone a slightly challenging one.

I hear Jasper step over so he's standing behind me, and I hope that I am not about to overstay my welcome with what I'm about to say.

"Actually, I was just thinking that both of you are wrong. _Dogma_ was really Kevin Smith's time to shine. Not only did he manage to snag some killer A-list actors, but he managed to skewer the Catholic Church while making me laugh my ass off in the process. It takes balls to come out swinging with both fists like that against the Church. Oh, and having Alanis Morissette play God was just inspired."

I pause, noticing the wide-eyed, slack jawed look that both Marcus and Aro are sporting.

"Plus," I add with a smirk, "Matt Damon is hot."

It's silent for almost a minute, before Jasper smacks me on the shoulder and whistles through his teeth.

"Way to bring it, Swan!" he says approvingly.

The other guys nod in agreement, both still stricken with momentary muteness. From the dark corner of the room I hear somebody clap slowly and see the shape in the chair start to move forward into the light. A shock passes through me as I take in who's sitting there.

_Edward Cullen._

_Ho-lee-shit._

I immediately turn bright red as my cheeks begin to burn in embarrassment. I pray that the dim lighting hides my tell tale sign and do my best to look anywhere than at him.

"Bella Swan," he says thickly, and the way he pronounces my name sounds like he is savoring each syllable.

"Who knew you were so well versed on Kevin Smith."

He gets up from his seat and slowly walks over, plopping himself down on the couch next to me. He pulls his leg up under him so his knee brushes against my thigh. My skin tingles at the contact between us, despite the layers of jean separating our bodies. I try not to stare at the space where we're touching and instead do my best to look at his face. Of course, the moment I take in the piercing green eyes, his full, pouty lips and the smattering of lickable stubble across his cheeks and jaw, I turn into a pile of mush.

"Um, yeah…" I finally manage to spit out.

I need to get myself together if I'm going to be able to blurt out more than one word syllables at him. I wrack my brain, trying to think of something both intelligent and interesting to say, but come up blank. Thankfully, Jasper acts as my savior as he plops down next to me on the couch.

"Yup, our Bella is a little movie aficionado."

Jasper has a weird 'proud papa' look to him right now, and I pray he doesn't say anything that will embarrass me. I feel an arm wrap around my shoulder and Jasper pulls me into his chest. Before I can stop him, I feel knuckles grinding into my hair as he gives me a noogie. I use the only defense I have at my disposal and begin tickling the crap out of him, knowing just how sensitive his skin is. The most inane secrets tend to be spilled while working in the dark room, and I intend to exploit this one to the fullest degree. Underneath my quick fingers Jasper is writhing and gasping for air as his face turns red.

"Not fair, Swan!" he shouts out, and I know the second he calls me by my last name that he's not going to let me get away with this.

I don't let up and soon he's calling out for a truce and I relent, watching him warily for any sighs of retaliation.

"Wow," says Aro, reminding me he and Marcus are still in the room. "I think that's the most action that couch has ever seen."

I blush eight different shades of red as Jasper lets out a loud laugh, high-fiving Marcus. I chance a look at Edward and he has a strange scowl on his face that I can't quite understand. I look over at Jasper to see if he has a clue as to Edward's quick change in mood, but he's already staring back at Edward, the two of them engaged in some sort of silent conversation. I can feel the tension in the room kick up a notch, and it's making me slightly uncomfortable. I'm about to get up to grab a soda or something before Jasper breaks the silence.

"I could sure use a smoke right about now, anyone else?"

Before I'm able to say that I'll join him, Edward is up and out of the door, with Jasper hot on his heels. I figure they need some alone time after that weird moment, so I leave them be, and pick up an old newspaper from the table, trying to occupy myself in their absence. Aro and Marcus continue debating movies, and I work my way through half of a crossword puzzle before Edward and Jasper return. They both have smiles on their faces, and as Edward heads to the mini-fridge, he affectionately slaps Jasper on the back. I shake my head in disbelief. I swear I don't understand boys. Aro notices that the two of them are back and digs around for an old corduroy pouch that he holds up for everyone to see.

"Smoke?"

My eyebrows crinkle in confusion, as I thought the boys just went out for a smoke break, but when he pulls out a bag of weed and a glass pipe, comprehension sets in. He hands it off to Marcus who packs the bowl and lights up, cloaking the room in a haze of skunky smoke, making my eyes water a bit. After a couple puffs, he hands it to Aro who inhales slowly, with his eyes closed, as if he's savoring some rare vintage of wine or something.

"Do you smoke?" asks Aro, passing the pipe in my direction.

"Um…" I answer too slowly.

"Have you _ever_ smoked?" Marcus asks me incredulously, his eyes already glassy.

"Yeah," I mumble, shrugging my shoulders.

What I don't tell them is that the one time I _did_ smoke, I'm not quite sure it was actually marijuana. It was in ninth grade and I was sleeping over Lauren Mallory's house. She said she had taken some from her brother and we huddled over some weird metal pipe, taking turns. I remember coughing a whole hell of a lot, but I don't think I felt any differently. So I'm not really sure if I can count that.

But, these boys don't need to know any of that, and I'm not going to look stupid in front of Edward Cullen and share that story. So, instead I graciously accept the bowl that is passed my way, cursing Lauren Mallory and her stupid, fake weed. I grab it the wrong way and the heated glass stings my skin for a second until I shift it around, holding the narrow part up to my lips. I decide I'll only smoke a little, because if this is the real stuff, which I suspect it is, who the hell knows what I'll end up doing.

I flick the lighter on and the orange flame blazes bright, warming up the tip of my nose slightly. I gingerly wrap my lips around the opening, and bring the lighter down towards it, inhaling quickly. The stuff inside starts to burn and crackle and with no warning my lungs are filled with a sweet, pungent smoke that causes me to erupt in a fit of coughs. I hold out the pipe in front of me, in hopes that somebody takes it before I drop it and it shatters all over the floor. Thankfully, a hand grabs the pipe from me and I'm left to try and infuse my lungs with fresh air.

Finally I'm able to breathe without coughing, and I take a minute to compose myself. I bring the sleeve of my hoodie up and wipe my eyes that are currently burning with pinpricks of tears attempting to escape. My mouth starts to feel a little dry, but before I can ask for something to drink, somebody shoves a can of Mountain Dew in front of my face. I look up and see a set of bloodshot, green eyes staring me in the face.

"Rough pull?" he asks sincerely.

I simply nod, because I sure as hell don't trust my words right about now. I grab the soda from him and take a few sips, grateful that it was already open. While I take a third sip it dawns on me that this might be Edward's soda. That his lips might have already touched the rim that I just had my own lips on. My eyes bug out, and as discreetly as possible, I flick my tongue out to lick the rim, despite knowing how creepishly stalkery that is.

When I hand Edward his soda back, I notice that he's staring at my lips and I wonder if he caught me. I avert his eyes and try to join in the conversation around us, which wasn't too hard to do. The boys are debating which Dorito flavor reigns supreme, and before I know it, I am head champion of Team Cool Ranch. The bowl gets passed around again, and this time I'm careful, only inhaling a little bit. While it doesn't go down super smoothly, I'm not hacking up half my lung. I'm feeling slightly less nervous around Edward now, and my head feels kinda fuzzy, but the good kind of fuzzy. Then, I giggle because the word fuzzy just sounds really funny. I say the word in my head, over and over again.

_Fuzzy,_ _fuzzzzzzzzzy, fuh-zee, fuzzy. _

"What's fuzzy, Bells?" Jasper asks, breaking me out of my thoughts, and I realize too late that I've been talking aloud.

_Hm, didn't sound loud in my head. _

"Erm…uh…my hoodie?" I ask, rather than state, and everyone cracks up at my expense. I can't help laughing along.

"You are baked, Swan," Marcus points out, shaking his head.

I shrug, before flipping my phone open and realizing it's almost six o'clock. I let Jasper know what time it is, since he's driving me back home, and I need to make Charlie dinner. I also probably need to shower first so he doesn't haul me down to the station for being a reckless teen. We say our goodbyes and I swear that Edward's eyes linger on mine for a few more seconds longer than normal. Of course, I might be hallucinating the whole thing, who knows at this point. Jasper cranks up the radio for the drive back and I toy with asking him what Edward's deal is and what they said to each other when they went out for a smoke. I have a hunch that he won't actually tell me though, so I stay quiet, only calling out to say goodbye after he drops me off.

Over the next few weeks I go to 'The Hood' a few more times, and soon I feel like a regular there. The cheesy décor ends up growing on me, and I even bake some cookies for the boys, winning me automatic acceptance, if I didn't already have it before. In fact, I show up regularly with snacks, as I find that my post-smoke munchies just can't be satisfied with stale Doritos and neon green soda. I am a girl, after all, and I have some standards.

Today I've brought one of my favorite treats, and I guard it carefully, knowing that as soon as the boys get a whiff of what I'm carrying, it will be gone in seconds. Everyone's already there when I arrive, and I get cozy on the end of the couch, resting my feet in Jasper's lap. Jasper's going on and on about some chick from the local charter school. He met her at some concert and can't seem to get her out of his mind. Consequently, we all need to know every little detail about her.

"She goes to that school for artsy kids? You know that one? Yeah, anyway, she showed me some of her artwork on her iPhone, and it's hot shit, like pretty fucking cool for a teenager, you know? She's so fucking hot too. She has this awesome spiky black hair and killer golden eyes. I'm not sure if they're contacts or not, but I don't really care. They're awesome. And, I mean, she's short, but not in some weird sort of way. More like, I want to put her in my pocket and take her everywhere with me."

I look over at Edward who's silently snickering throughout Jasper's entire monologue. I raise in eyebrow in question, "have you guys smoked yet?"

I have to figure that Jasper's word vomit has got to be partially weed induced because there's no way somebody would be that googly eyed without being twelve year old girl at a Jonas Brothers concert.

"Shockingly, no. This whole...thing," Edward waves his hand in Jasper's direction and shakes his head in disbelief. "Completely sober."

"But, fabulous idea, Swan!" says Aro and soon we're sitting in a circle, passing a joint around.

Once we're good and stoned, Aro and Jasper start a game of Uno, and Marcus runs out to take a piss. I sit on the couch watching Edward strum his guitar, more enraptured by the way his fingers curl around the neck of the instrument and strum its strings than the actual sounds he's making. Those fingers...I wonder what else they'd be skilled at. Before my mind is able to drift into it's naughty place, my stomach growls out, reminding me it's munchie time. I furtively look around to make sure nobody is paying attention to me. Feeling secure that I'm relatively invisible for the time being, I quietly reach into my bag and grab my snack, moving ever so slighty so as not to arouse suspicion. Seriously. If any of these boys even thought I had something tasty, it would be uglier than a heard of lions attacking a helpless gazelle.

I feel secure enough to take a bigger bite and can't help the moan that escapes my lips. My hand flies up to my mouth, and I pray that nobody heard.

"What. Was. That?"

I look up and see a pair of dark green eyes staring at me with a fierce intensity. I quickly scan the room and see that Marcus has returned and is playing cards with the others. None of them have noticed a thing, yet. I turn my head back, and Edward is still gazing at me, his face unreadable.

"Bella?" he asks again, as if I didn't already hear his melodic voice when he spoke to me the first time.

"Hm?" I mumble, because my mouth is still filled with food, and I can't actually answer properly.

"What do you have there?" he asks, moving closer.

I do my best impression of a wide eyed doe, hopelessly innocent, but it's not enough. Like something stalking it's prey, Edward seamlessly glides up to me and sits next to me. My breath hitches, as he's never been this close before. He leans in so close so that his nose is near my cheek. My heart literally skips a beat or two as I try to figure out what is up. Is he going to kiss me?

Instead, he inhales deeply and licks his lips. Does he not realize that he is so close to causing my girly bits to spontaneously combust?

"Chocolate, nuts and..." he trails off, and somehow, I miraculously find my voice and whisper the remaining item.

"Potato chips."

Edward gives me an appraising look.

"Salty and sweet, eh? Excellent combo, Bella. Now, gimme!"

He makes for my bag, and I quickly pull it towards me, resulting in Edwards hand grazing my boob. The touch of him that close to me is startling, and I drop the bag immediately.

"Jackpot!" he shouts, causing all the boys to look over.

"What's up?" asks Marcus, as Edward holds up the spoils in victory.

"Nutella and potato chips! Bella was holding out on us," scolds Edward as I huff, crossing my arms across my chest in response.

"Ah, tsk tsk, Bella," chimes in Jasper. "Don't you know that sharing is caring?"

Everyone laughs, and Edward looks especially smug.

I want to smack the smarmy look off Edward's face, but as I give him my best death stare, all I can notice is a small smear of Nutella coating the edge of his lips. Now all I can think about is licking it off. The potential combination of Edward and Nutella is almost too much to handle, and it's not much longer before I excuse myself to go home.

Despite semi-jerky moments like that, I start to become more comfortable with Edward. And really, when there's Nutella on the line, can I really blame him for the way he behaved? I probably would have done the same. Besides our common love for hazelnutty chocolate spread, we find that we share similar tastes in music as well. We're always shoving our iPods at each other, trying to one up the other with a random band or rare song that we're certain the other one doesn't know.

What's strange, though, is that nothing changes at school. Edward and I still have our class together, and I still never say anything to him there. Sure, sometimes we'll smile at each other in passing, or he'll borrow a pencil. But the connection we establish at 'The Hood' seems to stay there, not leaving the smoke filled haze of the old, decrepit shack. I wonder why that is, and can't seem to come up with a good reason. I debate asking Jasper, but don't feel like dealing with the teasing that will surely ensue.

As I drive myself over to 'The Hood,' I struggle to decide whether or not to say something to Edward. Maybe if I broach the subject while we're just hanging out it won't be so awkward. But, what the hell do I say?

_Oh, hey, Edward. Looking hot today. So, what's up with the chummy attitude while we're stoned out of minds, but when we're sober, you pretend like I hardly exist?_

Yeah, that would go over swimmingly. I roll my eyes at myself, glad nobody else is here to witness this sad display. Walking over to the shack, I hear somebody playing some Phish on a guitar and am glad that I'll at least have some music to distract me from my thoughts. I gingerly open the door, always afraid that if I push too hard it will crumble beneath my fingers. I'm surprised to find only Edward sitting by himself on the couch, picking on his guitar. He must hear me come in because he stops playing and looks up, a smile spreading across his face.

"Hey."

"Hey. Where is everyone?"

Edward looks around like it just occurs to him that he's alone. He shrugs.

"Jasper never showed and Aro's mom called him in a while ago. I think he had to go run errands with her. No clue where Marcus is."

"Hm…so…it's just us?"

Edward doesn't answer, and instead grabs his guitar and starts playing again. After a few chords he looks back at me and nods to the couch.

"Yup. Guess so."

I sit down on the opposite end of the couch, trying to figure out just what to say. Instead of letting my nerves eat me up, I end up closing my eyes and listen to Edward play. His skillful fingers pick out a beautiful song, and soon I find myself humming along.

"If I could, I would, but I don't know how…"

The words and tune are simple, but they speak volumes. Edward riffs at the end, concluding the song beautifully, and I can't help staring at him. He stares right back and grins sheepishly. My cheeks flame up with heat, and soon the air grows way too thick between us. I lick my dry lips and am startled to see Edward slowly swallow, seemingly mesmerized. He breaks the moment first by holding up his pouch.

"Smoke?"

"Sure."

Because, why the hell not? At least, it's something we know we're good at and it's comfortable, familiar. This charged air between us certainly isn't, and it seems that neither of us knows what to do. Edward pulls out his plastic baggie of weed and starts to break off pieces to stuff in his pipe. He looks up, and I see him smirk, almost laughing to himself. I wonder what's so funny, but before I can ask, he pats the cushion next to him.

"Come closer," he says, his voice deep and slightly hoarse.

There's no way I can deny him, and before I even allow myself to think twice, I've scooted closer, my leg brushing up against his. He packs the weed down more and then holds the pipe up to his lips. They wrap around the glass, and I can't help staring at them. They're pink and moist, and I wonder what they taste like. The hiss of Edward's lighter breaks me from my thoughts, and I watch as he lights up, pulling a slow, long hit. He holds the smoke in his lungs for a moment before putting the pipe down on the table. I go to take it, but he fiercely shakes his head.

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, and before I can figure out what's going on, Edward's hands cup my face and pull me towards him. His cool hands feel rough against my skin, and my mouth opens up, letting out a quiet gasp. Edwards takes the opportunity and closes the gap between us, his lips mere inches from mine. Leaning forward he presses his lips firmly against mine before opening his mouth slowly, exhaling the smoke into my mouth. It's a heady mixture of minty chapstick and skunky weed, and I'm startled for a second. I just sit there, not breathing, not blinking, not thinking.

"Breathe," Edward mumbles against my lips, so I do, inhaling the sweet smoke that just came from him. I hold it in my lungs long enough so that my chest tightens slight before I begrudgingly move slightly away from him, needing to exhale. The smoke billows out of my mouth and I watch it swirl past his face, only inches from mine.

"Thanks… I liked that. It was…" I struggle with the right word, before finally settling on one.

"…different."

Edward cocks an eyebrow at me and I rush to clarify.

"Different good, I mean."

"Different good," he echoes back to me and nods his head thoughtfully. "Yeah…"

We sit there for a second…a minute…hell it could be an hour that passes by for all I know. I'm just sporting a wicked goofy grin so wide that my jaw actually hurts from smiling so hard. I'm right on the precipice of giggles when Edward whips the pipe back out.

"Another round?"

Instead of answering him, I reach for the pipe and bring it to my lips, praying that I can make this happen as effortlessly as Edward. Careful to still my shaky hands, I flick the lighter on and take a long pull, holding the thick smoke before leaning towards Edward, fisting his shirt in my hand to bring him closer. Our lips touch again and I pause, enjoying the feel of it before opening my mouth, allowing the smoke to pour out. Edward inhales quickly, but doesn't pull away. Instead he places his hands on my waist and pulls me closer, so I'm flush up against him. His lips brush against mine in a semi kiss as he turns his head to the side, exhaling through his nose. After the smoke has dissipated, he turns his face back, and I can feel his warm breath against my face. Goosebumps break out in its wake, and I shiver uncontrollably. Edward presses his face against mine so our noses rub up against each other.

"Cold?" he asks, and I just shake my head, reveling in the feel of our skin touching.

We stay like that for a moment, and the only thought passing through my mind is…

_Was that our first kiss? _

I can't be sure. Was it just some sexy way of passing on the high, or was there something more behind it? My mind starts reeling with speculation, and I decide I need to grow a set and just ask him. I decide to stop letting my shyness rule when it comes to Edward Cullen. With our faces still pressed up against each other, I whisper.

"Edward, I…"

But, before I'm able to say anything, the door to 'The Hood' bursts open and we're bathed in a stream of sunlight, causing us to jump apart.

"Hey motherfuckers!"

_Ugh. Jasper. That kid has the worst timing. Ever. _

"Shut the damn door, asshole," shouts Edward as he runs a hand through his already disheveled hair.

"And, hello to you, too, Mary Sunshine!"

Jasper plops down on the other side of me and plucks the pipe from the table.

"Don't mind if I do."

"No, please, help yourself," grumbles Edward, and I stifle a giggle at the pout that forms on his lips.

_Those perfect, pink, oh-so-pillowy soft lips._

_Those lips that were pressed up against mine only moments ago._

_Those lips, that may or may not have actually been kissing me._

_I could_ _get lost staring at those lips._

Unfortunately, Jasper has other ideas.

"Swanster!" he bellows and pulls me to him in a huge bear hug. In a voice so low, I almost don't hear he whispers into my ear.

"You and Cullen, huh? You go girl!"

I bite back a laugh, but can't help the blush that creeps up my neck into my cheeks. I hear a growl and look over at Edward. He looks pissed. I shake Jasper off me and subtly scoot closer to Edward. That seems to placate him, and when my leg ends up brushing against his, I feel the built up tension within him melt. We sit around for a bit, bullshitting about school and talking about some new movie we all want to see. Jasper strums Edward's guitar, and I hum along when I recognize the song. It all seems very normal, yet it's completely the opposite of normal, it's not even funny. Every chance he gets Edward is touching me. It's nothing overt, but it's more than ever before.

When he hands Jasper his guitar, his hand skims the back of my neck, sweeping my hair out of the way. As he leans back, his hand trails my shoulder briefly. While Jasper plays, Edward's hand comes down to the side of his leg so our pinkies are touching. He slowly moves his finger up and down, and the languid touch is deliciously unbearable. I want to grab his hand and thread his fingers through mine, but at the same time I love the teasing contact. I wait around to see if Jasper will leave, but he doesn't. In fact, Edward ends up leaving first. I try and leave with him, but he moves quickly for once and is out of there before I can get myself ready. Jasper and I walk out together, and I leave before I'm entangled in a conversation with Jasper that I don't feel like having right now.

The next morning I find myself in front of my mirror, agonizing over what to wear. I'm never this indecisive, yet I can't help but think that I want to look just a smidge better today. Like that will help make sense of the amazing whateverthefuckitwas that happened yesterday at 'The Hood.' I finally settle on a pair of tight jeans and a blue sweater. I look cute, but it still doesn't help me figure things out.

My first few classes rush by in a blur and finally, it's time for science. I haven't seen Edward yet, so this will be interesting. Do I pretend like nothing happened, or do I say something? My mind is a jumbled mess of crazy, and I can't help it when that jackass Mike Newton pushes me into the class, mumbling about me blocking the door. I mutter back some sort of insult, which earns a reproachful glare from Mr. banner. I figure I better just sit down in my seat and glance at the clock as the second hand grows closer to class time.

Just as the bell rings, Edward slides into his seat, leaving me no chance to talk to him. He does give me a wink, however, and for the next forty-five minutes I go over all the meanings behind what it could mean. Edward's no help, as he seems to somehow pay attention to Mr. Banner, no matter how many times I mentally beg him to turn around and give me some sort of sign. I'm desperate here.

The bell finally rings, and I feel the palms of my hands start to sweat. I wonder if he's going to say anything, or just throw me another wink and head out. I take a second at my desk to collect my things, and when I look up, I notice that he's gone. Dejected, I head towards the door and brighten up immediately when I see him standing there, seemingly waiting for me.

"Hey," he says and without any warning grabs my hand, threading his fingers through mine.

I look at him, and despite the fact that my heart is totally skipping every other beat, he seems to be as cool as a cucumber. Effortlessly, he's rubbing slow circles on the outside of my hand as we walk. We don't say anything, and I'm not sure I could even if I wanted to. Finally we stop, and I realize we're in front of my photography classroom. Realization immediately sinks in.

_Edward Cullen just walked me to class. _

Before I can dwell on this point further, Edward pulls me close to him, and I stumble as I lean in, breathing in his smell. My eyes close as I inhale the heady mix of woodsy musk and faint cigarette smoke he emits. I feel tentative fingers caress my cheeks, and I look up, immediately lost in his eyes. His lips come down, brushing against mine, and this time, there is no mistaking it for a kiss. My lips meet his eagerly, and I return the kiss, nibbling on his bottom lip before drawing back slightly.

"Get a room!"

I groan, my head falling down to Edward's chest. I can feel the rumble of his laughter and look up just in time to see him receive a high five from Jasper. I roll my eyes, then quickly stand up on my tip toes to kiss Edward on the cheek.

"Going to The Hood after school?" I ask.

"Of course, and I'm bringing you with me. I want to hang out with my girl," he says, as if it's a given.

_My girl. Oh. Okay. _

I realize he's waiting for a reply, so I spurt out the first thing that comes to my mind while I'm still trying to digest the news of being _his girl_.

"Good."

"Good."

"Fabulous," adds Jasper, and I restrain the urge to smack him. "Leave kissy time till later. For now, we have class."

Edward walks away and our fingers finally part, separating excruciatingly slowly. I'm still not sure when our official status was decided, but apparently I'm his girl. The smile that appears on my face doesn't leave for the rest of the day.


	2. Tarantino & Cherry Pie

**A/N:** So...I did it. It seemed like a few of you crazy cats wanted some more Stonedward (Weedward? we need a name here peeps...what say you?) But...I'm going to be honest here. I don't really have a plot. All I have is a bunch of kids sitting around getting high, eating snacks, with some snark, silliness and UST sprinkled throughout. If that sounds like good times, keep on reading. Otherwise, I'll catch you in another fic, another time - no hard feelings ;)

A big old bowlful of silver haze to my beta **Lexiecullen17** - despite her desire to take me over her knee for a good spanking over my comma use, she rocks. Any mistakes left are totally my own. And a special brownie of thanks to my prereader **HunterHunting**. You both are the bees knees.

Disclaimer: I don't own these crazy kids...I just like getting them high.

* * *

Only three hours have passed since Edward called me 'his girl,' and my cheeks have started to hurt from the perma-grin I've been sporting. I wonder if anyone else knows or can tell that something's changed. Clearly it's not as momentous for Aro or Marcus, or even Jasper, but for some reason I still feel like things should be different. Although, I'm not quite sure how. So, it doesn't really come as a surprise to me that, like usual, Aro and Marcus are knee deep in some heated cinematic discussion when I reach the 'Hood after school.

"Fuck you, man! You must be smoking crack if you think Tarantino's best flick is _Kill Bill_. Just because you get a hard on for Uma Thurman in that yellow jumpsuit doesn't mean that the movie is the end all and be all of fine cinema."

Aro sits back in his chair with a "hmph," rolling his eyes at Marcus. I let a giggle slip as Marcus looks at him incredulously, as if Aro just bitch slapped his mother.

"I…I...it's like I don't even know you, dude," Marcus sputters, and we all burst into laughter.

"I didn't say she wasn't a hottie, dude. But seriously, Tarantino has some better flicks; you need to admit that. _Kill Bill_ is awesome."

Aro relents, seeing Marcus' eyes bug out once more, before adding, "but you can't forget about classics like _Pulp Fiction_ or _Reservoir Dogs_."

At the mention of _Pulp Fiction_, I can't help myself, and my Samuel L. Jackson impersonation comes flying out.

"Pigs are filthy animals. I don't eat filthy animals."

Jasper picks up on what I'm doing and gives me a look of approval before responding.

"Bacon tastes gooood. Pork chops taste gooood."

I stifle my laughter and only get out part of the next line.

"Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy motherfucker."

Edward's wide-eyed stare has me bursting into a fit of giggles.

"What?" I ask, wondering what's got him all weirded out.

He shakes his head, looking at me, a small smile starting to pull on his lips.

"Nothing, Swan. Nothing," he says with a wink. "You kiss the Chief with that mouth?" he asks, smirking.

I pout my lips for a second before leaning over and sneaking a quick kiss on his cheek. Before I pull back, I whisper, "Nah…but I'll kiss you with it."

I immediately bend my head so my hair drapes around me, almost afraid to see Edward's reaction. I'm not sure what causes me to be so brazen amongst our friends, but judging by the way Edward rests his hand on my leg, I guess that he's okay with it.

The boys continue their Tarantino debate while I settle into the couch, leaning partially against Edward, our shoulders and upper arms fully connected. Everything still feels surreal, and I try my best to figure it all out. It was only earlier today that Edward called me "his girl." Does that mean I'm his girlfriend? Sometimes I hear him call Jasper "his boy," but I have definitely never seen them kiss.

_So, this has to mean something, right_?

I do my best not to dwell on it, but it's the only thing I can think of. It's as if all other thoughts have fled my mind, and I only have this one thing to focus on.

_Girlfriend. Girlfriend. Girlfriend. _

I really want to be cool and aloof, like this is no big deal, but I just can't. Edward seems to be incredibly relaxed, like nothing has changed. For me, however, this is the biggest deal in the world, and I don't want to screw it up. So, knowing exactly what _it_ is would be a huge help. I'm so far buried in my own thoughts that it takes Edward pinching my leg to realize that he has been talking to me.

"Ow! What the hell?" I hiss, the sting on my thigh already dissipating.

Edward rubs the spot where he pinched, apologizing profusely.

"I'm really sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to do it so hard. You were just completely zoned out. You okay?"

"Yeah." I nod. "I'm fine. What did you want?"

"Oh," Edward shrugs. "It wasn't anything important. We were all just picking our favorite guy in _Reservoir Dogs_. I said Mr. Orange. I figured you for a Mr. Pink."

"I've never actually seen it. Somebody told me it was super violent, and I'm not really into stuff with too much guts and gore."

All of a sudden, the room turns quiet as four sets of eyes bore into me.

"What?"

"Fuck that noise!" proclaims Aro. "Movie time!"

He scrambles off his seat and heads to a shoebox that's filled with DVDs, rifling through them until he holds up one of them in triumph.

"Get comfy, Swan. We're watching some gore!"

As Aro walks over to the old television in the corner, Marcus grabs his beloved corduroy pouch, filling the glass bowl he pulls out. He puffs from it and then hands it to Jasper. When it comes to me, I pass, knowing how much homework I have ahead of me tonight, which will never get done if I'm high. I don't, however, pass on the snacks Aro brings back with him as he settles into his chair.

"A momentous occasion such as this calls for special snacks," he proclaims, almost regally.

"In honor of popping Swan's _Reservoir Dogs_ cherry, may I present…cherry fruit pies!"

Aro holds up a box of fruit filled pies triumphantly before handing one to everybody. I peel back the waxy wrapping to reveal a crumbly crust coated in a thick layer of sugar glaze. It looks absolutely delicious despite there not being one single real ingredient in it. I start to nibble around the edges, eating my fruit pie in a very meticulous way as Edward watches me with interest.

I give him a look, wondering what's so novel about the way I eat my snack, but he just shakes his head at me, a goofy grin sliding over his face. He tears his own wrapper open and shoves the pie into his mouth, finishing it in two bites. I look at him in awe, wondering how he could have just done that. He licks his lips and then stares at me, or rather, he stares at the pie I'm still holding in my hand.

"Are you going to eat that or what?" he asks through a mouth full of food, bit of crumb spraying out as he speaks.

"Yes!" I screech and shove him playfully, but I am utterly serious when it comes to my pie.

Finally, Aro has the DVD set up, and everyone has another fruit pie except for me, since I'm still working on my first. Jasper jumps up to hit the lights, so the television is the only thing giving off a soft glow in the room. We start to watch, and it starts off fine. There are a bunch of guys in suits walking down some street with a funky song playing in the background. I pay attention briefly before I get distracted and start looking around the room.

Both Aro and Marcus are already enraptured, despite having seen this movie multiple times before. Jasper starts off watching but is quickly absorbed with his cell phone. He's rapidly texting somebody, but whenever I lean over to see who, he shields his phone away from me. Finally he gets so annoyed with trying to be all ninja with his texting that he actually leaves. I make it a point to remember to pump him for details in class tomorrow.

As for Edward, he's watching the movie but with much less intensity than Aro and Marcus. Instead, every few minutes I catch him looking at me, and I can't help but stare back. Despite the darkness of the room, the little light there is catches in his eyes, illuminating the prettiest mixture of bright green surrounded by spidery red. My heart rates speeds up, fluttering within my chest. I shake my head, trying to calm myself down, settling back into the couch and try to actually watch the movie. I wasn't paying attention before, but it already looks like somebody's been hurt and there's a bunch of blood, neither of which I am keen on watching. I go back to studying Edward instead. His plaid flannel shirt is worn around the cuffs, and he has paint stains splattered on his pants. I wonder what he's painting, whether the marks are from helping his dad paint something at their house or if he actually paints, like with brushes on a canvas or whatever.

He turns his head as he grabs a bottle of water, and I can see a small nick on his neck. I'm curious as to what caused it. It's most likely not from shaving, since the scruff on his neck and jaw looks to be a few days old. I want to reach out and touch it to see if his facial hair is sharp and prickly or soft. I'm still not quite sure what the boundaries are with us. It's not like Edward actually asked me out. We've only actually kissed once... because I don't think I can count the time our lips touched when Edward shotgunned me. But maybe I can?

If there are any rules to dating at all, clearly Edward Cullen doesn't play by them. I continue to mull this all over in my head while my eyes drift towards the screen, although I'm not actually watching the movie. My left foot starts bouncing up and down, causing my leg to shake, an awful habit I've never grown out of. I put my hand on my thigh to try and still it and am startled when I feel a warm hand on my own. A small burst of hot air sweeps across my ear before I hear Edward whispering.

"You're thinking too hard. Don't think too hard."

When I turn to look at him, he's back to sitting against the couch, his eyes trained on the movie, but a small smirk plays at his lips. I jostle his arm a bit before rolling my eyes and lean back away from him. Edward gives me a curious look before he shakes his head and stretches his arm up and over my shoulder, pulling me towards him in the process.

His attention turns back to the movie, but now all I can think about is Edward's arm, which is wrapped around me, his fingers tracing faint circles into my upper arm. My leg is miraculously still, but now my heart rate is speeding up exponentially, and I wonder if he can somehow feel it. I do my best to focus on the movie, but it's a lost cause at this point since I really have no clue as to what's happening anyway.

Instead, I take in every small detail I can while being this close to Edward. I turn my head a bit so it's resting on his chest and I'm immediately enveloped in his scent. He's a heady mixture of various smokes with an underlying scent of soap and mint - clean and dirty all at the same time. This boy is truly a conundrum wrapped in a riddle. I look up at his messy hair, trying to see into his brain. I want to know what he's thinking, and I find myself turning into my father as I wonder what exactly his intentions are towards me. I realize that all of this conjecture is fruitless, and I do my best to focus on the movie, lest Aro and Marcus decide to quiz me on it later. I choose the worst possible time to start watching, however, as some guy is halfway through cutting off some poor shmuck's ear. There is blood everywhere, and I can't help but cringe, making a weird squeaking sound in the process. Edward laughs but pulls me closer.

"Yeah, it's pretty nasty, huh?" he laughs again before humming along with the song playing in the background.

I squeeze my eyes shut because I really don't want to watch anymore, and I wonder how much longer I have to sit through. Thankfully, Edward senses my unease and nods towards the door.

"Cig?"

I nod my head repeatedly, and I gather my things before following him out. We open the door to the 'Hood and before we're able to sneak through, Marcus shouts out, "Shut the damn door!"

Edward closes the door behind us, slamming it hard, and I can hear both Aro and Marcus swearing from inside. I giggle when I hear Edward cursing at them under his breath.

We hop into the bed of my truck, and I grab a fleece blanket from inside the cab for us to sit on. It's late fall and the air is crisp and cool, making me shiver with each passing breeze. I tug my coat around me tighter, then rifle through my bag for my cigs. I pull the pack out before offering one to Edward. He shakes his head as he pulls a pouch of tobacco from his back pocket. I watch in fascination as he rolls his own cigarette, stray bits of brown waving out the end.

I fish around for my lighter but can't find it, so when Edward flicks his Zippo, then holds it in front of my face, I smile before leaning over and inhaling as my cig lights. We rest against the cab of the truck in silence, the only noise coming from the crackle of burning tobacco and the occasional bird call.

"So…" I break the silence with nothing important in the slightest.

Edward turns to me and cocks his eyebrow. He brings his cigarette up to his lips and inhales, his lips pursing slightly. He exhales through his nose for a second before nudging me.

"So…?" he echoes, waiting for the rest of my thought.

My mind freezes up so I just shrug, internally rolling my eyes at myself. I wonder if we should go back to watch the rest of the movie when Edward grasps at my hand not holding my cigarette and squeezes it softly. I peek at him from the corner of my eye, and a warm flutter fills my belly when I see the look of absolute contentment on his face. I can't help but stare, trying to memorize how he looks right now. My concentration breaks when his lips start moving.

"Working on that bio homework tonight?" he asks, and I nod.

"Probably. It's not due till Thursday, though, right?" I double check with him.

"Yeah, but I figure it can't hurt to get it out of the way."

I nod in agreement again.

"Want to come over and work on it together?" he asks, and I lick my lips before answering.

"Um, yeah. Sure. That sounds good. I just need to call Charlie and let him know where I'll be."

I flick my cigarette butt out onto the gravelly driveway, silently apologizing to Mrs. Aronstein for littering. Pulling my cell phone out of my bag, I call Charlie, not expecting him to answer. I figure I'll just leave a voicemail and be done with it, so I'm not one hundred percent ready for it when he actually answers.

"Hello?" comes the gruff voice on the other end.

"Char…Dad?" I know he hates it when I call him by his name, so I try and win a few brownie points.

"Oh, hey Bells, what's up? Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just wanted to let you know I'm going over to somebody's house to do some homework, but I'll make sure to be home by six so I can make dinner."

_Please don't ask whose house I'm going to. Please don't ask. Please don't ask._

"Whose house?"

_Damn._

"Um... " I bite my lip before answering. "Edward Cullen's."

I hope it's enough to placate him, but of course, it's not.

"Who's this Edward? I haven't heard of him before."

_That's right, Charlie. That's because I don't make a habit of gushing about my crush to my father._

I can feel Edward staring at me, and I know that he's listening to what I'm saying. I'm not sure what to say here, so I just go the safe route.

"Edward's a friend, Dad." I rush my words hoping that neither of them actually hear me. "I'll see you at six, okay?"

"Fine, just make sure to be home by six."

I say goodbye quickly before shoving my phone back in my bag and grabbing another cigarette. My nerves are shaky, and I really don't want to look at Edward at the moment. Before I can ask him which way he lives, he looks at me with that delicious smirk.

"A friend, huh?"

I can feel my face flush automatically, like I don't even have time to let the full weight of this embarrassing moment settle in before my skin reveals how I feel.

"I, um…huh?" I try to play it off cool, but it's the furthest thing from the truth.

"So, you'll follow me?" Edward asks, saving me from having to answer his first question.

Thankful for the change in topic, I nod eagerly, shoving the cigarette back into the pack and probably snapping it in half in the process. Edward hops out of the truck and sticks his hand out to help me down, but before he lets go I feel him squeeze it just a bit. But when I look at him, his face is unreadable, and he's already taken his hand back as he pats his pockets, searching for his car keys. I slide into the cab of my truck, turning the heat on because all of a sudden I feel chilly.

I follow Edward to his house, which is only a few blocks away. We pull into the driveway, and I notice another car there and wonder who is home. I pluck my backpack from the passenger seat and head inside behind Edward, who stops in the kitchen to grab some bottles of water and a bag of pretzels for us. A woman, who I assume is his mom, is standing in the kitchen chopping vegetables. She looks up and does a double take for a second when she spots me.

"Hello," she says, an inviting smile spreading across her face.

"Hey, Mom," says Edward as he grabs a couple of apples before gathering all his food supplies in his arms.

"Hi," I return as well, hoping my smile is just as warm.

I shift awkwardly, wondering if Edward is going to introduce me or if I have to do it myself. Then, I wonder, if Edward does introduce me, maybe then I'll have a better idea of what the hell is going on. Maybe he'll say, "_Hey, Mom, this is Bella, my girlfriend_." Or, maybe he'll just say, _"Hey, Mom, this is Bella, from science class_." Either way, at least I'd have a better idea of where I stand.

Neither happens, however. As Edward's mom clears her throat and looks pointedly at her son, he has the decency to look properly abashed before nodding towards me.

"Mom, this is Bella. Bella, this is my mom, Esme."

My mouth drops open for a moment before I collect myself and smile at Esme.

"Hello, Bella, welcome."

Esme wipes her hands on a towel before walking towards me. We shake hands, and I just stand there feeling awkward before Edward nudges me, and I turn to see him heading up the stairs.

"Um, bye," I call out to his mom before rushing to follow Edward.

When I get up there, I see Edward hasn't taken me to his bedroom --like I would have thought-- but to a library of sorts. It's a cozy room, and all the walls are covered in shelves of books. There is a couch on one side and two big chairs in the corner. Edward sits down in one of them before gesturing to the other one for me.

I flop down in the chair and pull my books from my bag. We don't talk much, only speaking every so often when one of us has a question or needs to check something. I think I feel Edward staring at me every so often, but each time I look up, he seems to be engrossed in his damn textbook.

Finally, we finish up the assignment, and I start packing back up my stuff, ready to get out of there. I need to go home and drown my confusion in Ben & Jerry's followed by an Ani Difranco chaser or something. I stand up, about to thank Edward for doing homework with me, when he surprises me by grabbing my hand. He rubs the back of it softly for a second before tugging me closer. We're almost nose to nose when he speaks.

"So…no guts and gore?" he asks, his warm breath tickling my skin.

I look at him strangely for a second, wondering what the hell he is talking about.

"That's generally the rule, yeah."

He laughs and shakes his head.

"I mean, for movies. You didn't seem so into _Reservoir Dogs_. So, no guts and gore?"

"Oh. Yeah…I'm not really a fan of gratuitous violence. Why?"

Edward kind of shuffles his feet a bit and looks down before answering.

"You know, in case I want to take you to a movie or something."

He says it a touch quieter than his normal voice, and it takes me a second before it sinks in. He's still holding my hand and squeezes it, so I glance up at him, and he's got a look of uncertainty in his eyes. I realize that he's waiting for some sort of response.

"Oh! Thanks, yeah! That would be great. Real nice."

Clearly my brain is zapped of all real cognitive thought because Edward Cullen maybe just asked me out on a date. I shake my head a bit, as if to reset it, and hopefully say something not completely moronic. But it looks like Edward doesn't want to talk anymore. His face is moving closer to mine and before I know it, his lips are on mine, but we're not exactly kissing.

"Real nice," he repeats, and I relish the feel of his lips forming the words against mine. And then, all of a sudden, he hops back, pulling his lips from mine just as Esme walks by, stopping at the door to check in on us.

"Oh, so I should be going. I need to go home to make dinner for Charlie, oh, I mean my dad," I ramble.

Edward just smirks and waves goodbye, and I hurry past Esme, who smiles at me and tells me that I'm welcome there anytime. I mumble out a goodbye to both of them as I head down and out of the house, reaching my truck in mere seconds. I don't leave right away, though. I sit in my truck with the engine running as I bring my fingers up to my lips, which are still tingling.

…_Still tingling from my third (maybe?) kiss from Edward Cullen.

* * *

_

**A/N: **sigh...

oh, and in other news...I'm doing this crazy, weird, totally different collab thing with the awesome **LaraIsAwkward**...we have a new profile for the endeavor: **AwkwardYoga**. You can find a link in my favorites or go here: **http://www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/u/2251556/AwkwardYoga** to check...check...check...check it out.


	3. Heckerling & S'mores

**A/N:** Holy crow...thanks for all the alerts/favs...glad to see so many of you hopping on the Stonedward Express *giggles*

So... while I'm hoping to post in a timely fashion, I'm not that organized yet to have regular weekly updates. However, this update(only a week after the last!) has been brought to you by **MrsTheKing** and her big heart! She put out a call to authors to update on 2/28 to show gratitude to their readers and of course I had to be a part of that because whether its SVM or Twi, I am blessed with some of the most fab readers out there! You are all amazing, and whether you review, alert, fav or just enjoy the fic quietly: thank you! thank you! thank you!!

You can read more about who else is updating here: **http://theficbridge(DOT)blogspot(DOT)com/2010/02/grateful-to-readers(DOT)html**

As always...a big old hit from the bong for my fabulous beta, **Lexiecullen17** (despite her ever growing desire to spank the comma FAIL out of me) and another huge batch of special brownies for my prereader **HunterHunting**. Both these girls make me giggle so much, you'd think I was already stoned. (an extra pass of the joint to **Zigster** for taking a peek at this in a pinch. xo)

* * *

"So, what do you think?" Jasper asks as he looks over a set of negatives.

"Huh? Think about what?" I ask, trying to recall what he's been talking about.

Jasper snorts before nudging my arm.

"Yeah, you did have this glazed, far-off look in your eyes, Swan. I wondered if you snuck off to get stoned without me," he smirks.

I roll my eyes, not even dignifying his attempt at a joke with a response.

"So, where were you while I was pouring out my deepest, darkest secrets?"

I huff, not sure how much I want to share with Jasper. We've grown closer over the last few weeks, and I certainly count him as one of my friends, but he's also Edward's friend, and I don't know how much they talk about girl stuff. Truthfully, while Jasper has been apparently bearing his soul to me, my mind has wandered to thoughts of Edward and what the fuck we are doing. Ever since the afternoon spent studying at his place, we've spent most of our afternoons together.

Sometimes, when the weather isn't too cold, we park by the local baseball field and sit on blankets in the back of my truck. When the wind gets to be too much, and I begin shivering, we pack it up and head to his place, where his mom has hot cocoa and snacks waiting for us. Invariably, we end up in his library room, finishing things up, the silence between us deafening. At least for me. Edward seems to take it all in stride.

_Fucker._

It should also be noted that I have yet to even see his room.

The feeling of something crawling on me causes me to jump, abandoning all thoughts of Edward. I look down at my hand and see that Jasper's doodled a picture of Spongebob Squarepants on it. I rub at it, but it just smears, creating a blue blob on my hand.

"Asshole," I mutter as Jasper laughs.

"Dude, you did it again. You zoned out on me. Seriously. I'm trying to give you your very own Oprah moment with me, and you totally ignore it. I have be honest Swan, it hurts."

I whip my head around to see if he's okay, but instead of the pained look I'm expecting, Jasper is staring at me with a godawful, goofy grin.

"Asshole," I repeat, spurring a fit of laughter from Jasper.

"So, what's with the heart to heart? What's up?" I ask, truly curious as to what's caused him to go all _Lifetime_ on me.

"I was just saying how I was thinking of asking Alice out."

_Alice. _

Despite the massive hard on he carries for the elusive Alice, Jasper has yet to actually do anything about it. That doesn't stop him from talking about it... most of the time. He alternates between pretending he's a fucking Man in Black when it comes to Alice and won't say a word about what's going on, or he'll over share, letting us know which Rice Krispie elf is her favorite. It's kind of sickening and absolutely adorable all at once. I hate it. The fact that Jasper is going to man up and actually ask Alice out means that they're one step ahead of Edward and me. If Alice is formally asked out, at least she'll know where she stands. I'm jealous of the girl, and I haven't even met her yet.

"Or...that's lame, right?" Jasper rushes to add, since I haven't responded to him yet. "Yeah, totally lame. Never mind."

"No!" I work quickly to reassure him. "That's great! You've been talking about her so much that I thought you had already asked her out. But, yes! Go for it."

Jasper nods his head and goes back to looking over his negatives.

"Thanks, Swan," he mumbles, and I rub his back reassuringly much to the chagrin of the Bitch Brigade, who has been staring daggers into _my_ back this entire time. I mentally flip them off and try to focus on the work on front of me.

**~*~**

The next day I pull into the student parking lot, sliding in right next to Edward's car. Jasper, Edward, Marcus and their friend Peter are all standing around, kicking around a hackeysack. I watch for a few moments until somebody kicks it up and over the brick wall, and their game ends abruptly. Edward looks up and spots me, his face breaking into a devilishly handsome smile. He quirks his head to the side in a silent invitation for me to come over.

"Hey."

"Hey," I echo, shifting to lean back against the wall.

Edward drapes his arm around me, like it's the most natural thing in the world, and I press myself closer to his side, his warm pea coat scratching the side of my face. A cold wind hits us, and I bury my face in Edward's chest, waiting for it to pass. He rubs vigorous circles on my back, trying to help warm me up. I take the chance to inhale deeply, savoring the smell of Edward's jacket . He smells like smokey wool and spearmint, and I don't think I will ever get enough of it. Eventually the wind dies down, so I right myself up before I call much attention to myself.

The first bell rings, warning us that we only have five minutes to get to class, and everyone groans as they grab their bags and head indoors. Edward's arm slides away from my shoulder, and I immediately miss his heat. I am calmed a second later when his hand threads its way through mine, and his calloused thumb rubs back and forth over my knuckles. We reach the door of my first class, and I'm about to head in when Edward cups my face, running his rough thumb over my skin.

"So, date night tomorrow?" he scoffs, but his eyes are alight with excitement.

I quirk my head, about to ask him what he means but am silenced when the second bell rings, making Edward officially late for his class. He plants a swift kiss on my forehead and spins me towards my class, leaving me breathless as I watch his retreating form head down the hall. I can hardly concentrate on the assigned reading I'm supposed to be working on, as thoughts of 'date night' swirl in my brain. Was that his way of asking me on an official date? Despite asking me about my movie preferences over a week ago, Edward hasn't actually asked me out. His non-asking fits in with his totally laid back persona, but it just gives me more of a splitting headache trying to figure out the mystery that is Edward 'maybe my boyfriend' Cullen.

When it's finally time for Bio, I inwardly cheer that I'll be able to pump him for more info about what he means. I curse internally when we're given a pop quiz, effectively squashing any chance I have of talking to Edward. I finish my quiz in record time, tapping my pencil on the edge of my desk, my nerves getting the best of me. Edward turns around to look at me but quickly turns back around when Banner coughs loudly from up front.

The bell finally rings, and I figure I'll get an opportunity to say something as he walks me to my next class. So, it throws me for a loop when Edward leans in, kisses my cheek and lets me know that he has to rush to a guidance appointment and will catch up with me after school. I refrain from kicking a nearby locker, knowing it won't do any good, and I'd mostly likely end up with a sprained toe. I give Edward a small smile and a wave as he walks away from me. As I make my way to photography, I hope that I'll at least get some info from Jasper, but of course as soon as I slide into my chair, Mrs. Cope demands our full attention for once. After her half assed attempt at a lecture, she lets us loose, telling us we can go outside to take pictures if we'd like, as long as we're back within twenty minutes.

Jasper and I both grab our coats and camera bags and hightail it the fuck out of there. We make a beeline for the woods that surrounds the school, carefully avoiding the glare of the rent-a-cop they have patrolling the parking lot during the day. When we're finally far enough away that nobody can see us, we relax against a bunch of rocks. Jasper pulls out his pack of cigarettes and waves it in my direction. I pluck one out, despite knowing that I should probably stop this nasty habit but having no real motivation to do so. Instead, I pull out my faithful red lighter and flick it on, lighting my cig before tossing it to Jasper so he can use it.

I perch myself upon one of the rocks, smoking my cig and placing some leaves out in what I hope is an artsy arrangement so Mrs. Cope will think I spent some time on this assignment. I wait for Jasper to say something, but when I look back at him, he's got his camera out already and is crouched down low, snapping pictures, focusing on the dark green moss coating one of the rocks.

"So..." I hedge, trying to figure out what to ask.

Jasper looks up at me, his cigarette dangling from his lip. He quirks his eyebrow, waiting for me to speak.

"What's the scoop with this double date?" I ask, the words coming out in a rush.

Jasper chuckles softly before taking one last puff of his cigarette and stubbing it out on the sole of his shoe. He crouches back down and starts snapping pictures again and I wonder if he's going to answer me.

"I finally asked Alice out," he says, by way of explanation. Although, it's not really an explanation, since I still don't understand how Edward and I are involved.

"Yeah?" I ask, hoping to coax more out of him.

"Yup. We were texting last night, and I finally just called her and asked if she wanted to go out for coffee."

I momentarily forget about my own quasi-relationship issues and am totally stoked for Jasper. I may have even let out a little squeal.

"That is awesome Jasper, way to go! So...what did she say?"

"Don't get your panties in a twist just yet. Here's the thing..." he says slowly, his right hand scratching at his stubbly chin. "I may have said something like 'so a bunch of us are going for coffee, do you want to come too?' "

Jasper toes some stones by his feet, waiting for my reaction.

"So, you didn't actually ask her on a _date_," I say, stressing the last word.

"Fuck, Swan. I did... kind of. It's hard to talk to you girls. I mean, not you. But you know, most girls."

I roll my eyes at him, and he quickly backpedals.

"Shit. No. You know what I mean. You're different. You're cool. It's just, when I actually called Alice, and I heard her on the other line, being all breathy and shit, I just froze. So it kinda came out all messed up. But...she said yes," he adds, as if that solves everything.

I nod, not saying anything, because in addition to listening to Jasper's fucked up way of asking a girl out, I'm now wondering if Edward just sees me like Jasper's said. Maybe he only thinks of me as the cool chick who hangs with them who he also sometimes kisses. But, fuck...he still said something about a double date. What the hell was that about?

"So, what the hell is the double date thing about then?" I ask Jasper, trying to work this all out in my head before I go crazy.

Jasper actually blushes a bit and has the decency to look chagrined as he explains himself.

"Well, after the disaster of a phone call, I got in touch with Cullen, and we decided that it would at least save it if it was just you two who came along, instead of the whole crew. That way it is sorta still a date, you know? Just a double date. Is that...are you cool with that?"

I think about it a bit and realize that Edward had some part in planning this ridiculous thing, and I can't help but smile. It's sort of sweet that they are trying to figure out a way for Jasper to get with Alice. I let Jasper sweat it out for a bit while he waits for my answer. Finally, I can't take his pleading, puppy dog eyes any longer.

"Fine. Yeah, no it's fine. I'll go. I mean, hell, at least I'll actually get a date with Edward out of it," I add, mostly to myself.

Of course, Jasper picks up on it, and looks at me incredulously.

"What the fuck, Swan? You haven't gone on a date with Cullen yet? But I thought..." he trails off, and I'm immediately in his face, beyond eager for him to finish that sentence.

"You thought what Jasper? Give it up...What were you going to say?"

I'm _this _close to breaking down and explaining to Jasper the complete mindfuck that is Edward Cullen, because clearly he's not seeing it. Jasper looks at me for a second before his own expression changes to amusement. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I'm scarily close to channeling Robert DeNiro and am about to ask Jasper if I amuse him. Clearly, I'm bringing the crazy thanks to his bff.

Instead of answering me, Jasper slings his arm over my shoulder and guides me back towards the school.

"Swan, you really need to stop thinking so hard," he says, and I immediately recall Edward using that same line on me once. What the fuck is up with these boys and their stoner mentality?

I try to come up with a snarky response, but Jasper continues to speak, somehow channeling his inner philosopher.

"You and Cullen...you're like two sides of the same coin. You're you, he's him, and you're both...well, you know what I mean."

I stop walking because this is just seriously ridiculous. No, I don't know what he means, and I wonder if I somehow missed the part where Jasper took a huge ass bong hit because he's clearly not sober at the moment. Jasper realizes that I've stopped and turns to look at me, wondering what's wrong.

"It's just..." I realize my voice is really quiet, yet since we're still in the woods, it's carrying quite loudly. "I like him."

I feel my cheeks start to heat up at this admission. I haven't even made it to Edward but to his best friend. All of a sudden, I feel foolish, until I chance a peek at Jasper and see that he's grinning from ear to ear. He pats me heartily on the back, and I stumble a bit before regaining my balance.

"Well, shit, Swan. I'm glad you figured that out," he laughs. "And if I may be so bold as to suggest...I'm pretty sure Cullen likes you too," Jasper snorts as we make our way back to class, his arm slung back around me.

"Yeah?" I ask, still unsure, but somewhat relieved by Jasper's words.

"It's like the Beastie Boys say, Bella..."

Before he's able to finish, we're both startled by Edward, who pops out behind the photography class's door just as we round the corner. Jasper gives my shoulder a squeeze before he drops his arm and fist bumps Edward. As Jasper walks away, he points at me.

"Cheese," he declares, leaving me confused, then he turns to Edward and shoves him playfully before calling out, "Macaroni!"

It takes me a second until it sinks in, and then I can't help but grin, my eyes crinkling up with happiness. Edward looks at me, completely confused.

"What was that?"

I thread my arm through his, my confidence suddenly boosted by Jasper's not so cryptic message, and shake my head, changing the subject.*

**~*~**

I glance at the clock and realize that Edward and Jasper will be here in five minutes. I check myself over in the mirror and wonder if I'm dressed okay. I know we're only going for coffee, and Jasper and Alice will be there as well, but this is still the closest thing I've had to a date with Edward. I'm not going to let that chance pass me by. I don't overdress, but I want to look somewhat cute, or at least different than when I'm hanging out with all of them in the Hood. With one more look in the mirror, I decide that my grey corduroy pants, black v-neck sweater and purple cotton scarf will have to do. I slip on a pair of sneakers and grab a bag, stuffing my cigs, lighter, wallet and phone inside it.

I debate putting on some makeup and at the last moment apply a bit of flavored lip gloss and some smokey colored eye shadow. I finish the last sweep over my eyelid as I hear somebody honking a car horn outside. Peering out the bathroom window, I see Edward and Jasper waiting in the driveway. I grab my bag, a jacket, and I thank my lucky stars that Charlie decided to take advantage of the fairly decent day to go fishing. I haven't really given him much more info about Edward, and I plan to keep it that way for as long as possible. There is no need to hasten the awkward father-daughter birds and bees talk that neither of us are keen on having.

I toss my keys in my pocket and head out the door, just as I see Jasper lean over Edward to honk the horn once more. I stifle a giggle when Edward smacks Jasper upside the head, before saying something I can't hear. Jasper nods begrudgingly before opening his car door and folds himself into the backseat.

"Aw," I feign a horrible southern accent. "All for little ol' me? You shouldn't have."

Jasper rolls his eyes. "Tell me about it, Swan. But Cullen demanded I move to the back."

I bite my lip, tasting the pink lemonade gloss that's there, before sliding into the front seat next to Edward.

"Hey," I greet him shyly.

"Hey."

His face lights up with a smile that causes a tiny dimple to appear in his left cheek. There is a crackle of static electricity that passes between us, and I want to reach out and touch him to see if I'll actually feel a spark. Before I'm able to even try, Jasper pops his head in between us, breaking the connection.

"Alright, fuckers, let's do this."

"Nice, Jazz," Edward growls with a shake of his head. "Real classy."

Jasper just laughs in response, and I can't help but join in. Soon we're driving down the highway to Port Angeles with the speakers blaring The Flaming Lips. Jasper rambles on incessantly from the back seat. It's obvious that he's nervous, but I'm sure it's going to be fine. His nerves make me forget my own, until I feel Edward's cool hand wrap around mine, squeezing it softly. He holds my hand the rest of the drive there. All twenty-three minutes of it.

Not that I was counting.

We drive a loop around the main street until Edward finally spots a parking space, and he pulls in carefully. Jasper can hardly wait and is out of the car before Edward can even throw it into park. Jasper's eagerness is sort of endearing, and it's making me incredibly curious to meet Alice. We're a couple blocks from Cup of Mud, the coffee shop we're meeting Alice at, so we start to walk over. Jasper already has a cigarette lit and is puffing away. I hope it calms his nerves a bit because the boy is on edge.

We make it to the coffee shop, and Jasper's head is whipping from side to side as he looks around for Alice. His excited eyes dim a little as he realizes she isn't here yet, so I place a hand on his arm, trying to divert his attention.

"Let's get a drink," I suggest, and we all walk over to the counter to order.

I end up getting a hot chai, while Jasper, who really doesn't need the extra caffeine, orders an espresso, and Edward gets a plain black coffee. We find a booth in the back and settle in to wait for our order. Jasper's eyes keep darting towards the door each time the bells chime as it opens. In the meantime, our order is called, so Edward and I go up to grab it, leaving a spastic Jasper to himself for a moment.

"He's really nervous, huh?" I ask, making conversation.

"Hm? Oh, Jasper? Yeah," Edward agrees, looking back at his friend. "He totally should have smoked before we came. Would have mellowed him out for sure. This Alice must be something else," he muses.

I nod in agreement, blowing on my chai to cool it off before taking a tentative sip. When my eyes flicker back to Edward, I notice he's staring at me. I self consciously lick my lips, wondering if I have some foam or cinnamon stuck on them. I bring my hand up and try to wipe at my mouth, but Edward shakes his head and moves my hand away.

"You're perfect," I hear Edward murmur, or at least I think that's what he says; his voice is sort of muffled. I don't get a chance to ask him to repeat himself as I hear a loud voice pierce the room.

"Jazz!"

We both look up and see that Jasper is no longer alone at our booth. Instead, he's holding a petite girl in his arms, stroking her back sweetly. We make our way back to the booth and place the drinks on the table, sliding in on the opposite side. Jasper finally realizes we're back and sits back into his seat, dragging the girl down with him.

"Guys, this is Alice," he says with a huge grin, and it's clear by the lightness in his voice how much he's into her. "Alice, this is Edward and Bella."

I smile and say hi while Edward kind of nods in her direction. She's awfully cute but almost the polar opposite from the boy sitting next to her. Jasper is totally low key and low maintenance, and this girl looks anything but. Her close-cropped spiky black hair is fucking awesome but also looks like it took a while to put together. She's wearing little makeup, but what she is wearing is pretty far out there. Her lips are coated in some sparkly white glitter gloss, and she also has shimmery blue eye shadow on. Something tells me from the beatific smile she's got on her face that Alice is the kind of girl who'd sparkle even without the aid of makeup.

Her clothes are absolutely wild -- from her argyle tights, to her tweed skirt, and ripped t-shirt. She boggles my mind even further when she tells me she made the shirt and skirt herself. Nothing about her screams poseur, though. Despite our outward differences, we actually seem to click, finding out that we have a shit ton in common the more we talk. We continue to get to know one another while Jasper goes up and orders Alice a drink.

"And so I wondered how long it would take Jasper to actually ask my out," Alice whispers conspiratorially while Edward's immersed himself in a leftover newspaper on the table.

I smile at Alice, thrilled that she's so happy. It's nice to know that she's just as into Jasper as he is into her. When Jasper comes back, he not only brings Alice a hot cocoa but a crazy looking snack as well.

"What's this?" I ask, spying graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows.

"It's awesome. It's called Table S'mores, and they're like the real deal, only not done over a big fire. Alice mentioned how she missed going camping and so..." He trails off, scratching the back of his neck and looking three shades of embarrassed. It doesn't help when Edward snickers. I kick his foot under the table and give him a look.

"I think it's sweet," I say, smiling at Jasper.

Jasper beams and grabs his lighter as he fiddles with the mini propane container that comes with the dish. He finally gets the flame going and hands everyone a stick. I thread two marshmallows on mine, as I watch the ease in which Jasper and Alice interact. Despite their glaring differences, they seem to be in sync with each other, their movements fluid, with looks passing between them that make even me heat up a bit. On the other side of the table, Edward is drumming his fingers on the table, making his own rhythm, barely aware of what's going on around him. I hand my stick to him, and his face lights up, mouthing thanks as he plucks one of the marshmallows off to eat.

"You need to toast it, silly," I say, pointing to the flame in the center of the table.

Edward nods and holds his stick slightly away from the flame, slowly charring the sticky treat. I load up another stick and join him, snagging a piece of chocolate to nibble on as I wait for my marshmallows to get all melty. While we make our s'mores, we talk some more, and I continue to see why Jasper digs Alice. She's a total spitfire. At some point, Edward and Jasper start their own conversation about some ninja movie, and Alice just sits there, shaking her head, her eyes almost bugging out.

"Bella, please tell me you don't have to deal with shit like this all the time?"

Alice's not so soft voice causes the boys to look in our direction.

"What shit?" I ask, genuinely not understanding.

"This ninja, lame-ass movie shit," she says. Hearing her swear makes me giggle.

"Oh, yeah, that. I kind of tune out when they go there. They tend to talk about movies a lot, so..."

"They can't pick good movies?" Alice asks in disbelief, and both Jasper and Edward now look at her, ready to pounce.

"Alice, what would your definition of a good movie be?" Edward challenges, and Alice sits back, presumably to think about it for a moment.

"I dunno. A good plot, compelling characters, interesting music. But, definitely not one where it's just a bunch of men in black, karate chopping other guys in black. Sorry, boys," she says with a wink.

I can't contain my laughter anymore and high five Alice, which she willingly reciprocates.

"You should come to the Hood sometime," I offer, and only after the words are out of my mouth do I wonder if I've overstepped my boundaries.

Jasper seems okay with it, though, so I continue.

"I'm the only girl there, and while their taste in movies is okay, there's still a lot left to be desired. I could use an advocate."

I can see Jasper out of the corner of my eye, and he's nodding his head vigorously, just wanting any excuse to hang out with Alice some more. I figure I just did him a solid. Edward, on the other hand, wants to talk movies some more.

"What would you want to watch?"

His eyebrow quirks in question, and it's the most beautiful sight. It's not perfectly groomed by any means, but the way it arches perfectly above his bright green eye is just masterful. It takes me a moment to compose myself so I can answer his question.

"Um...Amy Heckerling movies would be a good choice?" I say, but it comes out more like a question.

Jasper lets out a huge laugh and stares at me with wide eyes.

"Swan. I thought I knew you. But,_ Clueless_? Really?"

I'm about to hit him back with at least three other movies she's made that I know Jasper loves, but before I can defend my honor, the green-eyed boy next to me steps in.

"Dude, don't even go there. Sure, _Clueless_ is a super chick flick, but you have to give props for _Fast Times At Ridgemont High_ -- total classic, and boobs, man, boobs."

I figure I'll let the boobs comment slide since Edward is essentially sticking up for me, which is totally sweet.

"There's also _Johnny Dangerously_, which is fucking hilarious, and I'm pretty sure she directed a National Lampoon Vacation movie too."

I nod along as Edward names some of my favorite movies, while Jasper just sits there, slack-jawed.

"Well, fuck me. Ten points for Swan for being kinda cool, then. My bad," he says, tossing a half eaten marshmallow at me.

I roll my eyes at him, and Alice laughs, playfully shoving Jasper for me. We sit around, chatting for a bit, when almost simultaneously, Jasper decides he needs a refill and Alice gets up to go to the bathroom. They leave together, and after they've been gone for over five minutes, it's painfully clear that they're not coming back anytime soon. I fiddle nervously with the spoon near me and take a few sips of my tea to deal with the silence. Edward continues to drum his fingers on the table while I try and come up with something to say in the meantime.

Before I can think of anything, Edward leans in. At first, I think he wants to whisper something to me, and I'm not quite sure why since we're all alone. Then I feel the heat of his breath tickle my lips as they meet mine. He kisses me for a second, and I'm about to lose myself in it before he quickly pulls back, surprising me. Edward has a weird look on his face as he licks his lips and then grimaces. His hand comes up and wipes them, and I try not to feel hurt, but my heart clenches seeing him basically get grossed out by me. I'd think I had coffee breath if I wasn't drinking tea. I hang my head, tears pricking at the corner of my eyes, and bite my lips in hope of holding them in. The last thing I need is for Edward to see me cry.

I start running numbers in my head, wondering how much longer we're going to have to stay here, and then how long the car ride back home will be. Before I can calculate a way to get home that doesn't involve Edward, I feel a flutter of fingers on my cheeks, pulling my face up. Edward's staring at me with wide eyes, shaking his head. His fingers ghost my lips and soon he's tugging at them, wiping them as well. He leans towards me, and this time he does whisper in my ear.

"You don't need this shit. It's too sweet. You taste...you taste perfect without it."

My cheeks heat up, and my eyes water, but for an entirely different reason now. I bring the back of my hand up and wipe my lips, a faint streak of shimmery pink coming off. I lick them and they taste normal to me, so I hesitantly lean in towards Edward, as he meets me half way, kissing me immediately.

"Much better," he mumbles against my lips, and I let out a sigh.

Edward uses my parted lips to his advantage, sneaking his tongue in and lightly dragging it against my lower lip. I flick my tongue out to meet his, and it's bitter with coffee, but I want to taste more. Before I'm able to, somebody appears at our table, effectively ending the moment.

"Eddie!"

I whip my head around towards the shrill voice and dig my fingers into my thighs at the sight of the girl standing at our table. She looks a few years older than us with dyed blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail and a sparkling nose piercing. Her eyes are trained on Edward, and she has a predatory look to her. It's clear she wants one thing here, and it isn't coffee. The shirt she's wearing is two sizes too small, and I can tell that she also has a nipple piercing._ Gross. _

"Hey Ed..." she says again, trying to get Edward's attention.

Edward's hand reaches down to clench mine, but for some reason, I'm suddenly all sorts of uncomfortable. I pull my hand away, bringing it to my lap. Edward doesn't seem to get the hint since he then takes his now free hand and threads it through my hair, rubbing circles on the back of my neck. It feels really good, and I wish that this blonde glamazon would just get the fuck out of here, so I could enjoy this without her glaring at me, like she's currently doing.

"Tanya." Edward nods in her direction, but doesn't make much more of an effort.

"What's new Eddie? We haven't seen you in a while. You've definitely been missed. Well, you and those...magic fingers of yours," she says with a wink, her voice suddenly all husky as she stares at the fingers currently caressing my neck.

Edward clears his throat before answering her, and I'm super curious as to what he's going to say.

"Um, yeah. I've been busy and didn't sign up for the next workshop. I'll probably be back around soon, no big deal. So yeah, I'll see you around, Tanya."

Tanya pouts and looks at me, then back at Edward, before rolling her eyes.

"Whatever. You know where to find me. Later." And with that, she turns on her heel and walks away, her ass swinging purposefully as she leaves.

I debate whether or not I should say anything about what the fuck just happened, and thankfully, I don't need to decide as Edward begins to explain.

"A few months ago, I signed up for some guitar workshop at the community music school in town. Tanya was part of that. She's an okay musician; she really just needs to focus on strengthening her chord changes," he explains, and it's almost endearing that he thinks I care about Tanya's guitar skills.

He goes on to tell me all about the class and how it helped him work on some songs and stuff, but that he hasn't really had time for it lately, and I wonder why that is. I hope it's not because of me, because despite the desire to take a black sharpie and write 'MINE' all over Edward, if he is going to be within ten feet of Tanya, I think that going to a guitar class would be good for him. I don't have much time to think about it, though, because Alice and Jasper finally return.

It takes all of my energy not to laugh, and I bite my lip in a futile attempt as a giggle escapes. Alice's cheeks are flushed, and her hair is a mess. Jasper doesn't look any better, with swollen lips and glitter tracked all over his face. I hear Edward snort next to me as he takes in Jasper's appearance.

"You have some um...glitter," he says, pointing to Jasper's face.

Alice looks over and laughs, grabbing a tissue to wipe some of it off. He's still sparkling when she's done, and I lean into Edward as laughter takes over. Neither of them have the decency to look ashamed, but I don't blame them. Their happiness radiates off their bodies and despite my jealously, I'm really glad that Jasper's found somebody as cool as Alice to hang with. We sit around and talk a while longer before Edward starts to get antsy, his body vibrating with energy.

"Cig?" I ask him, and he nods vigorously.

"Let's all go," Jasper suggests, and we leave the coffee shop and head towards Edward's car.

Edward pauses a moment to roll a cigarette, and I grab one from my pack, offering it to Alice. She shakes her head but doesn't seem to care that we smoke. Edward links his fingers with mine once his cigarette is lit and perched on his lower lip. We're not exactly holding hands, but just the slight feel of his fingers against mine is perfect. Right as we make it to Edward's car, Jasper tells us he's going to walk Alice to hers. Before they leave, Alice grabs my hand, ripping it from Edward's touch. She pulls a pen from her bag and writes a number on my palm.

"Call me," she whispers in my ear as she gives me a huge hug, somehow encompassing my entire body despite being half my size.

I squeeze her back, smiling. I nod and wave good bye as Edward shouts out to a retreating Jasper not to take so fucking long. I roll my eyes, pulling him back towards his car. Alice and Jasper turn a corner, and it's just me and Edward, standing by his car, fingers touching and finishing our cigs. Grey smoke curls out and swirls around us, not lasting long in the crisp fall air. We don't talk, but it's not exactly silent either, as Edward hums some song next to me. A passing wind blows hard, and I shiver, not ready for winter just yet. Edward opens his door and turns the car on, flipping the heater on in the process.

"Get in. You're cold," he remarks, as if I'm not aware.

I don't argue, and instead slide in, grateful that his car seems to take no time at all in heating up. I flex my fingers, finally feeling warm again and startle slightly when Edward reaches over and grabs my hands. He pulls them up to his mouth and blows, his hot breath tickling my fingers. The air around us crackles in anticipation, and this time, there is no Jasper or Tanya to interrupt us. I shift towards him slightly just as he leans in, and we bump heads briefly.

I start to giggle, but my laughter is absorbed by Edward's lips as he kisses me. He's now a crazy mixture of tastes...smoke, coffee and still that something sweet lingering in the background. I kiss him back and pry my hands from him, moving them up to his hair. I've wanted to thread my hands in his messy hair for as long as I can remember, and I am finally able to. I look up briefly and decide that his hair is definitely the color of cinnamon. I smile at my internal declaration, and if Edward notices, he doesn't ask, just guides my lips back to his. We kiss for a while, my hands leaving his hair as they brace against his thighs. I hear him groan in my mouth, and the sound reverberates straight to my belly, causing my toes to curl.

At this point, I'm mildly out of breath, so I break apart from Edward, resting my forehead against his while I calm myself down. With my eyes downcast, I notice that the crotch of his jeans is slightly tented, and my eyes grow wide as I think about what's going on down there. I'm not totally inexperienced; I've kissed a few boys before and even dry humped Tyler after the junior prom last year, but that's pretty much as far as I've gotten. Knowing that my hand was inches from Edward's dick and that it was probably pretty hard, causes my breathing to pick up again and a warm feeling to pool in my belly, spreading down even lower. I shift uncomfortably at the sensation.

Jasper chooses that moment to return, opening up the backdoor, bringing the cold air in with him. I spring away from Edward, but he grabs my hand, staring at me for a second, before placing one last kiss on my forehead. He starts the car back up, and we drive home to Forks, all three of us quiet, the only noise coming from the Felice Brothers as music drifts from the speakers. Edward holds my hand the entire way home.

* * *

**A/N**

*****Just in case you're not as Beastie Boy obsessed as I am, Jasper referenced a line from the Beastie's song, _Get It Together:_ "Got To Do It Like This Like Chachi And Joanie,  
Because She's The Cheese And I'm The Macaroni."(It's also a loose reference to the film _Juno_ - since these kids are so movie obsessed!), where Juno refers to Paulie Bleeker as the Cheese to her Macaroni. sigh.).

Speaking of fuckawesome music...I've created a playlist for The Hood: **http://www(DOT)playlist(DOT)com/playlist/19312853515** - It contains songs that feature in the fic or are inspired by the fic. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any good songs to rec for it!

oh! and I would be SO remiss if I didn't mention that the fabulous Zigster made me both a killer banner & blinky thingy for this fic...both linked in my profile!

And just to go down in history of having the longest pre/post A/N in the history of any chapter 3 *snort* - I have one more thing to mention. This fic started off as a o/s for the Twi-High Anonymous Challenge. It won 1st place judges pick and 2nd place in open vote, which snagged me some prizes. However, I thought I'd pay it forward and offer my awesomesauce prize up to a lucky reader/reviewer. I believe the prize is a Twi-High "goody bag" filled with all sorts of fun Twi-related stuff (poster, folder, pencils, etc...). So, if you are interested, when you review let me know you want in (should we have a code phrase? Like... 'Smoke me up!' *snicker* yeah, I'm a dork...) and then I'll pick somebody at random!


	4. Frankel & Brownies

**A/N:** Wow. I was floored with all of you lovelies who added this fic to your alerts or favs. And for those that took the time to review - THANKS! Somebody asked if we're gonna get an EPOV for this fic. I think this fic will be all BPOV, but I could be persuaded to do an EPOV outtake perhaps...js.

A huge bongload of thanks to my beta **LexieCullen17**, who continuously puts up with my abuse of the poor comma. And a big old sparkly spanks to my prereader **HunterHunting**. If you're not reading either of these fab ladies' fics then you're missing out on some amazing fic. It's all in my favs...

* * *

Much to Edward's amusement and Jasper's chagrin, Alice and I start talking almost everyday. Well, we text everyday, but it's close enough. Jasper thinks we talk about him, but I remind him he's too boring and that we don't waste our time talking about boys.

I'm a big fat liar.

To be fair, we don't really talk about Jasper all that much. Instead, Alice has quickly become somebody I can talk to about Edward, and I'm sure she'll keep my confidence, despite not having known her for all that long. I just trust her. She has some good advice and is funny in a sassy way, and we just click. It doesn't hurt that I get to taunt Jasper whenever Alice texts me by waving my phone in his face, making his ears turns red and his eyebrows furrow all funny-like.

Our current topic of textual discussion is the Sadie Hawkins dance that is coming up at school. As a rule, I don't really _do_ school dances, except the big ones like prom, but Alice insists that this would be a good step forward for Edward and me. The only thing is that this is one of those dances where the girl has to ask the guy. Thankfully, nobody has asked Edward yet... at least that I know of. I just need to grow a pair and do it already, but for some reason, I don't think of Edward as the school dance type. He did go to the junior prom last year. I remember it well, because despite having gone with Tyler, I spent a good amount of time staring at Edward, who looked ridiculously cute in his tux. He had gone with some senior girl, who now goes to college on the east coast, and I don't think they were actually dating anyway.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, pulling me from my thoughts, and I look down to see who it is, although I'm pretty certain it's Alice.

**Are you at the Hood with everyone? - A.**

I quickly text back that I am, and ask what's up.

**Just wait. Give it five minutes. - A.**

I sit back and vaguely listen in as the boys talk about whether or not to have a poker night at the Hood, and whether to invite other people, when I notice Jasper grab his phone and head outside. I pick at my nails and fidget in my seat for a bit, wondering what's about to happen. Edward notices me acting all squirrely since he's sitting next to me, and my bouncing around probably annoys him.

"You okay?" he asks, his warm hand finding its way to my upper thigh, effectively stilling me immediately.

"Mhmm." I nod, biting my lower lip to keep from sighing, still feeling tingly zings every time Edward touches me.

Finally, Jasper comes back inside, sporting the world's largest grin.

"Who the fuck sprinkled crack in your cornflakes?" Marcus asks him, and we all burst out laughing.

"Laugh it up, motherfuckers, but Alice just asked me to the Sadie Hawkins' dance!" he announces proudly, fist pumping the air.

I squeal and jump up to hug him.

"That's great Jasper! How exciting!"

Jasper's grin doesn't fade, and I sneak a look at my cell phone after feeling it buzz again.

**Is he happy? - A.**

I type out a speedy reply.

**  
Redonk** **happy. Nice job! - B.**

I sit back on the couch, and notice that Edward is staring at Jasper, looking deep in thought. Before I can figure out what's going through that crazy mind of his, I get another text.

**I set it up so you can make your move now. Go for it!!! xo -A.**

Thinking about it, it does seem like the perfect set up. I wonder if I have the balls to do it, though. My palms start to sweat as I slide my phone back in my pocket. I turn to Edward and try to figure out how to smoothly ask him to the damn dance, but before I can dig up some courage to say anything, he starts talking to Jasper. I sit back with a pout, upset that I missed my chance.

"That's awesome dude, but one question for you," Edward says. "How can she ask you to a dance at a school she doesn't even go to?"

Edward's eyebrow quirks up in question, and Jasper looks honestly stumped for a moment. His face falls as he contemplates Edwards words. _Oh shit! _If Jasper thinks he can't take Alice to the dance, not only will she be crushed, but then my in for asking Edward will be totally ruined. Thinking fast, I jump into their conversation.

"Nah, don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure it's fine Jasper. You just need to buy the tickets. I remember last year that Jessica wanted to bring some dude from Forks Academy, and she was able to. Nobody cared."

Jasper visibly relaxes, and Edward just shrugs his shoulders and mutters a "cool" under his breath. I take a deep breath and am about to ask Edward when Aro decides to take a breather from reading some computer magazine to add his two cents.

"I guess I'll see you then, bro."

We all turn to look at Aro, the shock evident on each of our faces.

"What? Don't give me that look. This is grade A quality beef here," he says, showcasing his lanky body like he's Vanna White.

Somebody snorts, and Aro's cheeks flush a bit, so I rush to placate him.

"That's great. Who's the lucky lady?"

I wrack my brain to try and figure out who would actually ask him out.

"Sully Picia," he says with a grin, and I do my best to smile back, although all I want to do is giggle.

Sully is super sweet but in an extremely weird, totally out there way. Nobody really knows what her first name is because she insists on going by Sully, which is kind of cute. She's quiet but really smart... and pretty in a classic sort of way. But where she deviates from the norm is with her tails. Sully wears faux fur animal tails safety pinned to her pants. Sometimes she even wears matching ears on a headband. To be honest, I have never actually asked her what the deal is with it, but it's kind of bizarre, and so a lot of kids just sort of leave her alone. But, who knew? Apparently she has a thing for Aro, and by his reaction, he seems smitten with her as well. I wonder if she'll wear a tail with her dress for the dance.

"Nice, man. Maybe we can all go together, like meet up here beforehand?" Jasper asks Aro.

"Oh, yeah. That sounds sweet. A little pre-party before the dance." Aro high fives Jasper, sealing the deal.

I notice Marcus giving Aro the stink eye and wonder what that's all about. He's been pretty quiet throughout this whole conversation, and I'm curious if anyone has asked him to the dance. I realize now that I need to swallow my nerves and just ask Edward, since it's starting to get a bit awkward. Before I'm able to, though, he grabs my hand and drags me outside. When we get make it out the door, I turn and look at him, silently asking him why he brought me out here.

"I wanted a cig. Thought you might want one too," he shrugs.

"Oh, they were in my bag... back in there." I nod at the dilapidated garage behind us.

"We can share," he says as he begins rolling a cigarette.

It's late afternoon, but it's been a sunny day with no wind, and it's relatively pleasant out, which is nice for a mid-fall day here. I find a patch of dry grass and sit down, tugging on Edward's jeans so he'll join me. When he sits, he offers me the cigarette first. I part my lips slightly, and he places it gently into my mouth, causing his fingers to accidentally brush against my lips. I restrain myself from allowing my tongue to dart out and taste him. He brings his lighter up, and I cup my hands around it, making it easier to light. I inhale, holding in the harsh tobacco of his unfiltered cig before passing it to him. We share it back and forth a few times, relatively silent. I'm about to stub out the cig and stand up to go inside when Edward puts his hand on my arm.

I turn towards him, and he looks like he wants to say something. I smile, hoping to encourage whatever he has to say.

"So, we'll come here first then too?"

I look at him blankly, trying to process his words. Come. Here. First.

_Holy shit. Edward just automatically assumed we're going to the dance? _

"Oh, fuck. I mean...we are? I thought...damnit," he rambles, not really finishing one clear thought. "Never mind."

Edward stands up to go back inside, and I realize I only have one chance to bust out of the hazy fog that seems to surround this...whatever it is between us.

"Edward!" I call out, latching onto his arm.

Thankfully, he stops, and I scramble to get up so we're standing together only inches apart. He looks at me but makes no move to say anything, so I take a deep breath and just do it.

"Doyouwanttogowithmetothedance?" I exhale as I speak, the words rushing together.

I take another deep breath, steadying myself and try again.

"I just wasn't sure if dances were your thing. But, I'd like to go with you, if you'd be into it."

Edward stands there a moment, and even though I kind of think he wants to go with me, my heart is still beating a million miles a second. He mumbles something, and I strain my ears to catch it, and I think he says "I'm into...you," which makes my heart go flippity-flop. But he couldn't have said _that_ because that would be amazing and awesome and just fucking perfect. I try and stop my internal rambling for two seconds so I can hear if Edward has an answer for me.

"I'm not really a dance guy, but I guess this could be fun. Let's do it," he says, the corners of his lips turning up into a smile.

"Yeah?" I ask again, because I'm a girl and we need three different forms of confirmation on something like that.

"Yeah," Edward says firmly, lacing his fingers into mine.

We head back into the Hood, and everyone else is sitting in a circle playing Uno. Aro looks up as we enter and gives us a funny look.

"Where the hell did you guys go?"

"For a cig." Edward shrugs, but pulls me closer to his side.

We plop down on the couch, and I grab a_ Maxim_ magazine that's sitting on the table. I stretch my legs out, and Edward positions himself so he's got my feet resting in his lap. He rubs my calves and hums some song, bopping his head along to whatever beat he's got rolling through his mind.

"Oh," Edward says aloud, as if something just occured to him. "Bella and I will be here, too. You know, for that pre-dance party or whatever?"

Jasper smiles at us, discreetly giving me a thumbs up, while Marcus pouts some more, and Aro just nods his head.

"But somebody needs to make sure to bring some good shit to smoke," Edward adds, "Because I sure as hell am going to need it to get through a fucking school dance."

I laugh along with everyone else, but it doesn't go unnoticed when Edward squeezes my leg and winks at me. I go back to reading the magazine, or else I'm going to look like a smiling fool the rest of the afternoon. I try to read an article on _Hottie Hometown Cheerleaders_ but can't get past the wide-eyed, vacant stares of the poor girls they have trussed up in too-tight shorts and cleavage inducing scraps of material they try to pass off as shirts. I'm getting a little sleepy and should probably get home to make dinner and do some homework when Jasper all of a sudden clears his throat, and it sounds like he has something important to share.

"So, uh...I think Alice is gonna come hang here on Saturday. That cool?"

Edward nods his head in time with the rhythm he's back to humming and flashes Jasper a thumbs up sign. Aro gives Jasper a friendly punch on the shoulder and lets him know that sounds cool. Marcus rolls his eyes and goes back to staring at his Uno cards, his pissy mood radiating off him him like the stink on a pig. I, of course, squeal in delight and immediately whip out my phone to text Alice. Edward looks over at me as my fingers fly over the keys, typing away. But he says nothing and goes back to humming his little song and rubbing my calves.

**~*~**

Alice and I text right up until Saturday, so I know she's bringing an extra special treat for the boys. I remind her that the easiest way to get in their good graces is through their stomachs, although I really doubt she will have to try too hard. Regardless, she whipped up some treat for them and is bringing it with her for her debut at the Hood. I make it to the Hood around noon, glad that Charlie was working when I left and not around to hound me about who I'm hanging out with. When I walk in, Aro is the only one there.

It's awkward for like three seconds until Edward shows up. He hugs me from behind, and I know it's him before I even see him, the warm tingles from his strong arms letting my body know who's there. Plus, I can smell the distinct smokiness of his brand of tobacco mixed with whatever the mint scent that's always lingering underneath. I slide a hand over his, and his fingers tease the sliver of skin that peeks out between my shirt and jeans lightly, causing me to break out into shivers. I want to stay like this forever, feeling Edward's warm breath against my neck, his rough fingers skimming my skin. But, of course, my little fantasy is broken abruptly as Marcus enters the Hood in a huff, practically shoving Edward and me out of the way.

I head over to the couch as Edward flips Marcus off and stifle a giggle because there's no use in making Marcus anymore pissed off than he is. Aro and Marcus sit down at the little table, and Aro starts rolling a joint. I hope smoking a little pot will calm Marcus down because his shitty attitude lately has been really irritating. Thankfully, I don't have to focus on it for much longer, as Jasper and Alice finally arrive. Just as Aro sparks the joint, they arrive, hand in hand and giggling like schoolgirls. I jump up and make my way to Alice, who pulls me into a big hug.

She's so excited her body is vibrating, and I whisper for her to calm down, despite knowing that it's useless.

"I'm really glad you're here," I tell her when I finally let her out of my embrace.

"Me too!" she squeals as she looks around the place. "This is definitely...interesting."

I chuckle at her observation and just nod my head, already desensitized to the unique decor of the place. Alice walks over to the couch and allows Jasper to introduce her to Aro and Marcus. Then, Alice whips out a tray of brownies and the boys eyes grow wide. Even Edward stops fiddling with the guitar he has in his lap to look.

"Whatcha got there Alice?" Edward asks, leaning the guitar against the couch and moving towards her.

"Just some brownies. I thought you boys would enjoy them."

I shake my head as they descend on her like buzzards around a carcass, and I sneak in and grab one for myself, knowing they'll be gone soon.

"Damn, Alice!" exclaims Aro as he polishes off a whole one in two bites. "These are fucking phenomenal. What do you add to them?"

Alice laughs as she places the now empty tray down.

"It's a secret recipe, but if you're good, maybe I'll tell you."

Everyone grabs a seat, and Aro relights the joint that was ignored when Alice and Jasper showed up. As he passes it around the room, Alice leans in and whispers, "Want to know my secret?"

I nod enthusiastically because even I am enjoying this heavenly brownie.

"I just melt in some marshmallows and caramel. Gets them every time," she snickers.

Grinning, I grab the joint that's passed my way and take a brief inhale, holding it in my lungs for a few seconds before exhaling into the air. I pass it to Alice, who shakes her head and moves it along to Jasper.

"You don't smoke?" I ask her, wondering if she's offended.

"Nope, but I definitely don't begrudge others. Enjoy it," she says, smiling.

Once everyone is good and stoned and all the brownies are eaten, we sit around talking for a bit. Alice fits in seamlessly and even grumpy Marcus can't help but be enamored with her. Eventually, the boys start up a poker game, which both Alice and I sit out. So, while they sit around the table, we lounge on the couch talking.

"What are you going to wear to the dance?" Alice asks, and I cringe reflexively.

My head flops back onto the couch cushion, and I close my eyes, groaning.

"Not much of a fashionista?"

I shake my head no as I hear Alice rummage around in the huge purse she had brought with her.

"No problem, I can help! I'll be like your own personal Anna Wintour, just not as bitchy."

I open my eyes and look at Alice, who's currently flipping through a magazine, marking pages and circling things with a pen.

"Anna...who?"

Immediately, she stops what she's doing, and the thick magazine flops right off her lap.

"Anna Wintour of Vogue Magazine? You know, the woman who basically dictates fashion trends. That Anna Wintour."

I shake my head slowly, my fuzzy brain barely recognizing Vogue Magazine from the check out lane at the grocery store.

"Fine," Alice huffs, gathering up her fallen magazine. "I'll put it in terms you movie geeks might understand. David Frankel's movie, _The Devil Wears Prada_ - does that ring any bells?"

I nod, remembering when I accidentally watched it on HBO one time. It was okay.

"Good," Alice says, relieved. "Well, Meryl Streep's character was totally based on Anna Wintour. Everyone who knows fashion knows it."

"Oh," I say, remembering the movie. "But, she was mean!"

Alice giggles and starts flipping through the magazine again.

"Yeah, she's a bitch alright. But a bitch who knows what looks good. And I know what looks good, too, Bella. So, I'm going to make sure you look absolutely fabulous for this dance, okay?"

I nod, too overwhelmed to say anything. I have no idea what Alice is going to do, but it doesn't sound pleasant to me in the least. As if sensing my discomfort, Alice grabs her bag and starts rifling through it again, looking for something particular. She pulls out a singular, wrapped brownie and gives it to me.

"Shh..." she warns. "Don't let the guys know."

I greedily take the brownie from her, eating it stealthily.

As the chocolate kicks in, I'm content as can be and even look over Alice's shoulder every so often as she describes what the latest trends in formal wear are. I remind her this is just a lame school dance, and I'd be fine in just a skirt and top. Alice looks at me in disbelief before telling me to just shut it and keep eating the brownie. Rolling my eyes, I savor the last few bites of brownie goodness and wonder what the hell I just got myself into.

* * *

**A/N:** Up next...school dance. I can feel my palms getting sweaty already ;)

oh, and while we're here, I might as well pimp some shiz...I just posted a o/s earlier today called **Inhale Her **- it's my entry for the Awkward Contest. You can read it here: **http://www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/s/5798413/1/**

and my one shot, **Time Turns Elastic**, is up for "Best Coming Out" in the slash awards! There are many fab fics up in many awesome categories. Voting goes till 3/21 (which may or may not be my b-day...just sayin). You can vote here: **http://theslashawards(DOT)blogspot(DOT)com**


	5. Hughes & Twinkies

**A/N:** More thanks than you can imagine to all of you fabulous peeps who've been putting this story on alert or fav'ing it or even taking the time to review. I heart each and every one of you.

oh, I wrote a one shot for the Awkward Contest called **Inhale Her** - link in my profile - b/c who doesn't love Completely Awkward Edward?

Huge thanks and a pass of the joint to **LexieCullen17** who beta'd this shiz. The fact that she still loves me after dealing with my commas is just amazing. And a huge old boob grope to my pre-reader **HunterHunting**. I love you both oodles of noodles.

Hope y'all are dressed in your best...it's time for a dance.

* * *

"Bella!" Charlie shouts from downstairs.

"What?" I shout back, because I'm not about to leave my room in the state I am in.

"Everything okay?"

His voice gets louder, and it seems like he's walking up the stairs.

"Fine!" I call out, hoping to keep him away.

I'm in no state to talk with anyone right now, let alone him.

"You sure?" he asks, his voice soft, and I can hear him right outside my bedroom door, the floorboards creaking under his weight.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just...uh...getting ready. Please send Alice up when she gets here?"

I can hear Charlie muttering to himself, and I bet he's debating whether or not to come in. Finally, he heads back down the stairs, and I breathe a sigh of relief. It isn't that seeing him would be bad. I mean, I'm wearing a robe so I'm not indecent or anything. It's just that my stomach is tied up and twisted, nervous for what's to come. The dance is later tonight and I still don't know what I'm wearing. I mean, I know that Alice has made something for me, but I have no clue what that is. In addition to not knowing my wardrobe choice, I'm beyond anxious for how the dance will play out with Edward. In the past week I've had numerous daydreams where we're dancing, and I get to just hold him all night long, his body pressed up against mine. In reality? I don't even know if Edward will want to dance with me.

I pick at my freshly painted nails, most likely ruining them, but not really caring. Instead, I continue to do what I've done for the past hour since getting out of the shower. I sit on my bed, bouncing my leg, as Pat Benetar does her best to instill super awesome self esteem into me via my iPod. It works for a while, until all my insecurities come flooding back, and I pray that Alice arrives soon. Thankfully, somebody is watching out for me, as I hear a knock on the front door. I hear her say hi to Charlie, and then finally she's on her way up to my room. Alice walks in and I just about die. She looks absolutely phenomenal in an outfit I'd never be caught dead in.

"You...you made this yourself?" I gasp, completely blown away by her creativity and skill. "You look gorgeous!"

Alice nods and thanks me, a proud smile emblazoned across her face. She is really breathtaking tonight. Since this isn't the prom or anything, most girls go for short party dresses and Alice is no exception. The top of the dress seems to have been fashioned out of a sequined tube top, but Alice makes it look good, despite not having much to fill it out with. I can't even wrap my head around what the skirt is doing but it's totally awesome. The top of it is a shimmery white and it's poofed up by some hot pink crinoline type stuff. A pair of hot pink strappy shoes and white frosted make up complete the look, making Alice look like queen of the punk fairies. While Alice looks spectacular, I know that I would never be able to pull something like that off and am nervous for what's in the garment bag she is currently waving in my face.

"Oh, just put me out of my misery already. Show me the damn dress."

Alice slowly unzips the bag, drawing out the suspense as long as possible, until she pulls out what looks like a simple black dress. She hands it over, and I walk over towards my closet to try it on. The material is super soft and flowy, and I love it already. While Alice is sporting a strapless dress, I'm relieved that the one she made for me has straps, so I won't be standing around pulling up the top self-consciously all night long. In fact, the top portion of the dress is done in a racer-back style, so it's incredibly comfortable to wear. Streaming from the neck are silver chains that look like intricate necklaces, despite being part of the dress. The skirt part flares out softly and I do a little spin, watching myself in the mirror. I hear somebody clapping and turn around to see Alice standing there, beaming.

"So?" she asks eagerly.

"I love it!" I exclaim before I rush over to hug her.

"Okay, now we just need to fix the hair and find some shoes," she instructs as she's already tears apart the bottom of my closet, in search of shoes.

She finally settles on a pair of silver platform sandals that I bought a while back, reassuring me that they'll be cute and comfortable. I'm just worried that my toes are going to fall off from the chilly air. It's only October but already the nights can dip into the forties and sometimes thirties. I shiver at the thought. I put them on and close my eyes as Alice flits around, doing stuff with my hair. Finally it's done, and I look at myself in the mirror. I actually look...good. I give Alice a careful hug, making sure not to mess either of ourselves up. We head downstairs where she has Charlie take a few pictures of the two of us with her camera. Charlie gives me a hug before telling me to have a good time, but not before reminding me of my curfew. I flash him the thumbs up as I leave, shaking my head at this random display of parenting on his part.

Alice decides that she'll drive us to the Hood, so I don't need to worry about my car, which is nice of her. We make it there around six with plenty of time to relax and enjoy ourselves before we head to the dance at eight. We walk in and see Jasper and Aro already there, playing cards at the table. Jasper tosses down his cards immediately and stands up, letting out a low whistle.

"Looking good, ladies. Looking real good."

I blush and thank him while Alice runs up to him, planting a big kiss right on his face. When she pulls away, he's got a thin sheen of shimmer coating him. It doesn't seem to faze him at all. I chuckle at the two of them, looking like a mismatched pair, despite the almost visible electric current pulling them together. While Alice is all done up in her party dress, Jasper has taken a different route. He has on a maroon suit, and the legs are slightly tapered over what look to be snakeskin boots. A ruffle collared cream colored shirt lays underneath, and a black velvet fedora completes the look. I grab Alice's camera and snap a few of the two of them together. Aro, on the other hand, looks completely normal in khaki dress pants and a blue button down shirt. I'm actually surprised at how nicely he cleans up. This might be the first time I've seen him with his hair brushed.

"Where's Sully?" I ask, wondering if she'll be joining us.

"She'll be here in a bit. Her mom's dropping her off."

He wipes his hands on his pants, and I can tell he's a bit nervous. _That makes two of us, buddy_.

I wait around for a bit, while Aro puts the cards away, and Alice and Jasper head off to a corner of the room to talk quietly. The door opens and I let out a sigh of relief, thinking it's Edward. Instead, Marcus walks in, triumphantly carrying a six-pack in one hand and a newspaper in the other. He tosses the paper on the table and goes to put the beer in the fridge. I head over to sit on the couch, bouncing my leg up and down repeatedly. I grab the newspaper Marcus has brought in with him and flip through it, trying to quell the butterflies in my stomach. It's not until a warm hand crushes against my bare shoulder that I let out a sigh and finally relax.

_Edward._

I crane my neck to see him standing behind me, and I have no clue how he managed to sneak in without me noticing. My breath hitches as I take him in. He's wearing a slate gray shirt with a slight sheen to it. The top few buttons are undone, so his delectable chest is peeking through. A smattering of wiry chest hair peeks through, and I wonder what it feels like. Over the shirt is a blue jacket, undone. He's wearing jeans, but at least they're clean, and despite the casual tone to his outfit, he looks absolutely amazing. I look back up at Edward's face just as he quirks his eyebrow at me.

_Oops_.

He must have caught me staring. Edward holds out his hand for me and I take it, standing up. He doesn't let go as I make my way around the couch to stand next to him. With the platform heels, I come up a bit taller and am almost able to look him directly in the eyes.

"Bella, you look...really pretty."

My face heats up as I feel myself blush at his compliment.

"Thank you. You too."

"I look pretty?" he smirks and I just want to lick it off his face.

Instead, I roll my eyes and slap at his shoulder playfully. He traps my hand with his, so now he's holding both my hands. He pulls me towards him, so our bodies are flush with one another, and I wonder if he can hear how fast my heart is beating. Edward bends down and ghosts his lips across mine before we're rudely interrupted by Marcus.

"Leave that PDA shit for the dance, motherfuckers. Let's get fucked up!"

With that declaration, Marcus cracks open one of his beers and instructs Aro to spark a joint. Aro shakes his head and heads to the corner of the Hood in search of something else. Edward finally releases my hands, and I follow him to the couch where we end up sitting as close as physically possible without actually sitting on top of one another. His hand floats to my neck as his fingers begin to play absentmindedly with the necklace laying there. I close my eyes, enjoying his sweet, tender touch, when all of a sudden Edward rips his hand from my neck as he stands up with a shout.

"Frosty!"

I'm confused, having no idea what the hell he's talking about, until I look over at Aro, who has brought a huge blue glass bong out from wherever it was hidden. The tube at the top is various swirls of blues and whites, and then the bottom part has three globe-like features, making it look a little bit like a snowman. I can see how it came by its name. It becomes even more clear as Aro fills it not only with water, but with ice cubes from the mini fridge. As he packs it, he motions for Edward to grab a paper bag I hadn't noticed before.

"Score!" shouts Edward again, and I hope that the rest of the night isn't filled with one word exclamations on his part.

"Yeah," nods Aro as he positions himself over the bong. "My mom really outdid herself . Just toss them on the table here."

Edward unceremoniously dumps an entire paper bag full of Twinkies out onto the table. I look over at Alice, who is shaking her head, while Jasper licks his lips in anticipation.

"Boys," she mouths to me, and I laughingly agree while watching Edward circle the table of Twinkies like a hungry shark.

Finally, Aro jump starts the bong, and the Hood is soon filled with a hazy, slightly skunky smelling smoke. I opt for a small pull, which hardly seems possible with Frosty, but I do my best, still ending up with a huge lungful of smoke. I can't help but cough, and Edward is quickly by my side, rubbing my back and offering me a bottle of water.

"Frosty can be a bitch, huh?"

I smile up at him as I begin to catch my breath.

"Yeah."

Edward pops off the couch for a moment before coming back with two packs of Twinkies. He tosses me one, and I'm suddenly ravenous. I peel back the plastic wrapping quickly and wrap my lips around the yellow cake, savoring it slowly before taking a bite.

"Holy fuck, Bella."

I turn to look at Edward as I lick the cream filling from my lips to see what's the matter.

"You can't just eat your Twinkie like that," he says by way of explanation as he shifts around in his seat, his hands flying to cover up his lap.

I'm perplexed at this point, and I'm sure it must show on my face, yet he's not offering up any further information. I can't believe the guy who eats his cherry pies in two bites has a problem with the way I eat my damn Twinkie.

"What?" I pout playfully. "I really like the cream filling. It's delicious!"

At that, Edward groans and runs his hands through his already messy hair. He's staring at me in disbelief, but I can't figure out what's wrong. I look over at Alice for some help, but I can't figure out why she's laughing so hard at us shaking her head. She skips over to me and whispers in my ear, my eyes growing larger as she explains what it sounds like to her.

"I, oh jeez. I didn't mean..." I sputter, lamely trying to explain as Alice continues giggling.

"What? Oh, no, it's fine. Don't worry about it," Edward assures me as he looks anywhere but at me.

I close my eyes, embarrassed for a moment before I feel Edward's hand grasp mine, and I can't even remember why I should be upset anymore. I lean into him, enjoying the warmth of his body. We all hang around for a bit, shooting the shit when there's a knock on the door. Aro runs over to open it and Sully is standing there, looking lovely. She's in a simple pink dress, and when she walks by, I note that she does not, in fact, have a tail attached to it. I'm actually kind of disappointed, as I had hoped she would have found a way to pair fur with formal wear. Instead, she has on a cute Hello Kitty necklace, so her love of felines doesn't go completely unacknowledged. She waves to everyone, and it doesn't go unnoticed when Aro holds her hand. He looks incredibly happy, and it's totally sweet. I look over at Marcus and see him nursing his second beer.

"What are you going to do tonight?" I ask him, feeling bad he won't be with us.

Marcus shrugs, looking all sorts of bummed out.

"You should have a movie marathon!" exclaims Alice. "You guys love your movies, no? Tonight would be a good night to watch a bunch of them."

Marcus shrugs again, mumbling incoherently under his breath. Aro lets Marcus know that he can stay at the Hood if he wants, while we're at the dance. Before Marcus has time to sulk some more, Alice looks at the time and says we need to get going. Before she lets us leave, however, she starts digging into her bag for something.

"Alright, let's get some pictures taken, people, okay?" Alice demands, waving a small, pink digital camera around. "I want to get some pretty ones of you all before your eyes are bloodshot to hell. Like I don't have enough to do already. I'm not about to spend an hour photoshopping out your red eyes."

I snicker but totally understand where she is coming from. She tosses the camera to Marcus, who takes it begrudgingly. Alice arranges us on the couch in boy-girl fashion, and I'm sitting right next to Edward. Each part of my body that is pressed up next to his tingles. When he links our pinkies together, my breath catches, and I savor the feeling.

"Alright, smile and say 'school dances suck,' or something," demands Marcus.

I roll my eyes just as the flash goes off and demand he takes another one. After snapping a few more, Alice seems relatively happy, and we're able to get going. As we're walking out the door, Alice stops for a second and calls back to Marcus.

"I was serious about the movie marathon. Maybe pop in a John Hughes classic."

I grin, as I look around at my crew of misfit friends, thinking we'd fit in perfectly with Ducky or Andie and even Bender. Edward insists on driving me, so Alice goes off with Jasper, while Aro and Sully drive in together. I slide into the front seat of Edward's car and remain pretty silent for most of the drive over. I'm a mixture of excitement and nerves, despite feeling way more mellow because of the pot. We park and wait for the other guys to meet us before all walking in together. The dance is being held in the cafeteria because last time they held a dance in the gymnasium, the gym teachers threw a hissy fit over the scratch mark on their shellacked hardwood floors.

So instead, they've decorated the cafeteria in yellow and orange streamers with a few gold balloons dispersed throughout the room. There's a faint stale odor to the place - a mixture of chemicals and lingering sloppy Joe meat - and I wonder if anyone thought it would have been a good idea to open a window or something. The tables that normally litter the space have been pushed to the side, where students have tossed their coats and bags. We head over to a relatively empty one and leave our stuff there while we decide what to do. Over in the corner where the salad bar usually is, a DJ is spinning the same crap they play on WPOP, the lame music station that seems to only have a rotating selection of Britney Spears, Mariah Carey and for some ungodly reason, Miley Cyrus. A few kids are out in the middle of the floor dancing, and I stare at them in shock.

I'm actually not positive you can call what they're doing dancing, though. It looks like some sort of crazy combination of a mating dance you'd see on the Discovery Channel and some edits that never made it into the current hottest low-budget porn. Currently, Lauren Mallory is grinding her ass into a very happy Mike Newton. He has one hand on her jiggling ass and the other creeping up towards her boob. She's writhing up and down like a horde of fire ants are attacking her. It's not really attractive, but evidently, the boner in Mike's pants disagrees with me. It must feel weird to have that poking Lauren in her ass, but she doesn't seem to mind. I'm startled out of my voyeurism moment when Edward nudges me slight, motioning towards the snack table. Of course my Edward has the munchies.

I follow him towards a large fold out table that is covered in orange crepe paper and trays of cookies. There's a bowl of punch at the end as well, and somebody must have screwed up and gotten the memo that this was a middle school dance, because really, cookies and punch? Despite this, I grab a cookie and nibble on it, the sugar sticking to the roof of my mouth so I have to get a cup of punch as well. We walk back towards our group just in time to hear Alice squeal like a banshee. She grabs my hand, and without even asking, she drags me to the dance floor.

"Want your bad romance!!" she shouts, bouncing along to the techno beat blaring out of the speakers.

I stand there stock still until she puts her small hands on my hips, making them move side to side.

"Oh, come on, Bella - dance with me! I love this song!!"

As Lady Gaga rages on, I begin to ease into some sort of dancing. I nod my head in time with the beat and swirl my hips around tentatively. Beside me, Alice is twirling around, her arms raised up and her eyes closed. She looks lost in her own private moment, and it's really pretty. I try to channel some of that energy but only succeed in moving my arms slightly by my side. I look back to see both Edward and Jasper staring at us, both of them moving slightly to the music. I wonder if they're going to come join us, but before I'm able to wave them over, I feel a tap on my shoulder. I spin around to see Eric Yorkie there with a smile.

"Care to dance?" he asks.

"Um...I'm already dancing?"

"No, silly. I mean, with me." He shakes his head and laughs as if I made the world's funniest joke.

"Um..."

Before whatever sorry excuse of a reason leaves my lips, I feel a pair of warm hands circle my waist.

"Sorry, man. But Bella's already got somebody to dance with."

I'm barely able to give Eric a sympathetic smile before turning around to face Edward. I'm immediately entranced by the piercing gaze of his eyes, as we stand there, staring at each other.

"Oh, hey," I sputter, because my skills are just _that _good.

"Hey," he replies, his lips turning up into a cheeky grin. "I hope I didn't interrupt something important. I mean, if you wanted to dance with Eric..."

I roll my eyes at him and pinch his side. He laughs and gives me a wink, drawing me closer.

"So, that's a no?"

"Yes, that's a no. Actually, there's somebody else I'd rather dance with," I say in a moment of boldness.

His eyes raise up in question while his lips continue to smirk at me.

"Oh really? Would I know this person?"

"Mmhmm," I nod, biting down on my lip.

I don't say anything more, but I pull slightly away from him, so there's about a foot or so of space between us. I grab his hand and go back to dancing, letting the loud music wash over me. The loud, club-type music keeps going, and soon I'm facing away from Edward, my back pressed against his chest. I'm not doing any moves that would rival the local strippers, but I am swaying my hips slightly as I bounce up and down. I'm holding on to Edward's hand still and every so often, I raise it up and sway it around. I jump a bit when his other arm snakes around my waist, his fingers lightly stroking right above my hip. I allow my body to meld to his slightly and feel something firm pressing into my lower back.

_Holy. Shit. _

I still my body for a second, but before I'm able to better discern what it is, Edward's spinning me around, removing me from his body slightly. We both stand there, looking at each other, not saying a word. His face is open and a bit vulnerable, and I most likely still look a bit shocked. I give him a small smile, and his body relaxes slightly. I bite my lip, not sure what to do, when the music changes, and suddenly a slow song starts playing. A handful of people leave the dance floor, but both Edward and I remain fixed, neither of us moving. Finally, Edward moves a bit closer and takes my hands in his. He lifts them up and places them around his neck, pulling me towards him. Then, he removes his hands and places them on my hips.

We stand there, swaying slightly, and I guess you can call it dancing. The song is sweet and mellow, and I can't help but move even closer to Edward. I lay my head on his shoulder, and he shifts his hands so he's now resting them on my lower back, his fingers just above the swell of my ass. I can feel his warm hands through the thin material of my dress, and the heat feels good against my skin. I gulp as I shift even closer, and we're as close as two people can get, clothed.

We sway to the beat together, barely moving, but it's enough for me to feel the hardness in his pants again. I actually get giddy at the thought, and I have to restrain myself from doing something ridiculous, like rubbing up against him like a cat in heat. I still can't help but lightly grind up against him, like my body is on autopilot. I know he can feel what I just did, because he lets out a hiss and digs his fingers into my back.

"Sorry," I whisper, feeling bad.

"No, I'm sorry Bella. I..." But he trails off as the music ends and more people leave the dance floor.

I want to stay there, pressed up against Edward, rocking my body against his. But with no music, we'd probably get stared at. Edward moves first, dropping his from my backside, leaving it remarkably cold and wanting. I try not to pout, and the fact that he threads his hand through mine helps tremendously. What does not help is when Lauren Mallory walks up to us, right as we're about to head back to our friends. She looks at us pointedly, so I know she wants to talk, but I have no interest in anything she has to say, especially while she's wearing some purple band-aid she's trying to pass off as a dress. Shouldn't she be off sitting on Mike Newton's dick right about now?

"Hey, Edward," says Lauren, her voice oozing with sex.

She trails one of her neon-painted claws up Edward's arms, her tongue sweeping suggestively across her lips. Edward shifts uncomfortably at her touch, which makes me smirk. Lauren finally turns in my direction, shooting me a withering look.

"Bella."

"Lauren."

She rolls her eyes and returns her attention to Edward.

"So, are you enjoying the dance, Edward?" she asks, her hand still tainting his arm.

"Huh? Yeah, I guess," he shrugs, looking incredibly uneasy.

"What about your girlfriend?" Lauren sneers, barely glancing at me.

My breath hitches, and my palms start sweating. I'm not sure why Lauren's use of the term "girlfriend" makes me so nervous, but it does. I anxiously chew on my bottom lip, waiting to hear Edward's response. This could actually go in my favor. If he answers her like it's no big deal, then the skanky whore will have done me a huge solid in terms of helping me clarify my relationship with Edward. It feels like forever before Edward speaks again.

"Bella's not my girlfriend," Edward mumbles quietly, but I still hear him. He isn't looking at me or Lauren, and instead is inspecting the floor like it's giving him the meaning of life or some shit. Lauren howls with laughter, and I feel like I'm about to puke. Of course I'm not his girlfriend. I'm just some chick he hangs out with, gets stoned with, and apparently, occasionally kisses. No big deal. Except, it is a big deal. It's an insanely big deal, and I'm now two seconds away from throwing up Twinkies on the cafeteria floor if I don't get out of there right now.

"I need a cig," I manage to sputter out and tear myself away from them, running towards the table where our stuff is.

In my haste, I only grab my bag and not my coat, but it's fine because the moment I make it outside, the cold air actually feels good. My stomach is still in shambles, and I feel on the verge of puking, so I try to take a deep breath, while simultaneously willing away the tears that are starting to form. I finally manage to calm myself down, but only slightly, as my body is still vibrating.  
_  
Damn Lauren Mallory and her big fucking mouth._

__

Damn Edward for saying that I'm not his girlfriend.

_Damn me for thinking I could be._

I reach into my purse, my hand shaking as I pull out a cigarette from the pack I had shoved in there earlier. I walk over to the side of the building and lean against the brick wall, away from the chastising looks of teachers and the prying eyes of other students. I pull out my lighter and attempt to get a flame going, but my hand is shaking too hard for that. I let my head flop backwards, and it hits the cold brick, making my cry out in frustration.

"Fuck!"

I hear a lighter flick on and slowly open my eyes to see Edward standing next to me.

"Need a light?" he asks, his voice hoarse.

I don't answer him, instead I just lean forward, lighting my cigarette.

"Thanks," I mutter and go back to closing my eyes.

"You okay? You're shivering."

I want to shake him by the shoulders and shout at him, to let him know, that no, I'm not okay. That I'm absolutely broken, and devastated and that with one stupid sentence he's crushed my heart. Instead...I shrug.

He pulls his jacket off quickly, draping it over my shoulders. Immediately, I'm hit with his dizzily delicious scent - mint, tobacco and pot all rolled up into one, and I know it's going to linger on me now. _Fuck_. The tears that prick at my eyes threaten to spill, and I hastily wipe them away with the back of my hand.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I breathe out, pissed that I even let myself get into this situation.

And what the hell is Edward doing here anyway? I want to ask him, but I know that if I open my mouth to speak, the tears will fall.

"Walk with me?" he asks and starts heading towards the field. Somehow, I realize I have no choice but to follow him. We walk across the parking lot and towards the soccer field, stopping at the bleachers. There's little light here, but the moon is bright and I have no trouble seeing Edward's face. He looks upset. His eyebrows are furrowed, and despite being all bloodshot, his eyes are dark with worry.

"So..." I prompt him, wondering what his deal is.

"So...I'm sorry about that."

"Sorry about what?" I ask, because I'm going to make him say it.

"About with Lauren? You...you seem upset."

"You think?" My tone is harsh and snarky, but I don't care.

"Shit," he curses and runs a hand through his messy hair.

I move away from him, going to sit on the bleachers. They're cold, but I don't really care. Instead, I wrap Edward's jacket around me more tightly.

"It just...it just sucked to hear you say that," I whisper and almost hope that he doesn't hear me.

"Sucked to hear me say what?" he asks, genuinely. "Bella? Please...talk to me."

"To hear you say whatever about me not being your girlfriend."

"But..." he begins hesitantly. "You're not...are you?"

I look up at him, my eyes stinging, but I can't bring myself to answer him.

"Fuck!" he curses again, but this time he comes to stand in front of me.

He roughly grabs my hand and squeezes a bit too tightly.

"Damn it. Bella...are you? I mean...would you? W-would you be my girlfriend?" he stutters.

I gape at him, wondering if I just heard him clearly.

"What?" I ask, because again, I need that confirmation.

"Never mind," he grumbles, hanging his head.

I sit up straighter and grab his other hand, forcing him to look at me.

"Please," I plead, staring directly in his eyes. "Again."

He must sense that I just need some sort of extra reassurance, but his eyes lighten and a small smile flutters across his face.

"Will. You. Be. My. Girlfriend?" He enunciates each word with crystal clarity.

I pull him towards me and don't even bother with words for the moment. Our lips mash against each other as I kiss him hard. Edward opens his mouth at the same time I do and our teeth clash together with the force of our kisses. I pull back a bit, dragging his bottom lip between my teeth, causing him to groan.

"Yes."

"Yes?" he asks, because apparently boys need some reassurance too.

"Yes. I thought you'd never ask," I say with a laugh.

And then, before either of us can ruin this moment with anymore words, Edward's lips are back on mine. These kisses are softer now but no less delicious. There are tongues and lips and heat and just pure perfection. Edward pulls away slightly, and I gasp as I watch him adjust himself in his pants.

"Oh, um, sorry," he apologizes bashfully.

"Don't be," I reply, shaking my head as I lick my lips.

Edward crawls up to the bleacher and straddles it, pulling me to face him. When I sit with my legs on either side of it, my dress hikes up and Edward's hands immediately go to my bare thighs, kneading them softly. He leans back in for another kiss, and within seconds, we're fiercely making out again, his lips leaving a trail of wet heat wherever they land. He kisses down my jaw, my neck, and my shoulder, pushing aside his jacket. I lean my head to the side, inviting him to tease the skin there again, and I shudder as he sucks at it, most likely leaving his mark. His hands leave my legs and travel up my body, skimming my hips, my waist and my sides. They stop as they reach my chest, and he slows his movement slightly as his thumbs caress the underside of my boobs. Without any thinking I thrust my chest upwards wanting and needing more. He readily obliges, cupping my boobs with his full hand, over my dress.

He lets go for a brief second to pull me closer to him, so I'm almost sitting in his lap. I shift my position to get more comfy and... _Oh!_ I feel something large and firm beneath me. I can't help but grind down on it lightly, causing Edward to grunt. His hands fly back to my chest and squeeze my boobs excitedly, almost a bit too hard. We continue kissing and groping, as my hips flex on their own, pressing into him. It's awkward and new and hot all at once. And it ends way too quickly.

"Bella! Bella!"

I'm ripped from my bubble of Edward to see Alice shouting at me, running towards the bleachers, waving her hands. I move away from Edward slightly, hearing him groan as I do. I give him a smile as I try my best to catch my breath. I smooth my hair and dress down, not even worrying about how my make up must look. I shift slightly, feeling a pool of sticky wetness in my underwear. _Oh. That's new._ Edward, on the other hand, has his eyes closed and his hands balled up in fists by his side. He seems to be muttering something, but I can't quite hear him. When he finally opens his eyes, he gives me a sheepish smile.

"Bella!" Alice clamors up the bleachers, right below us.

"There you are! I was looking all over for you. I saw you run out, then saw that fierce mess of a girl in purple laughing about something evil she did involving you, and I wanted to make sure you were okay. Are you..." she trails off, noting my appearance, as well as Edward's.

"Oh. I'll just be..."

"Sorry man," pipes up Jasper, coming up behind Alice, clearly out of breath. "I meant to stop her, but...you know...girls."

Edward laughs at this and grabs my hand, holding it tightly as he nods his head in agreement. "Girls."

* * *

**A/N:** all together now...awwwwwwwwwwwww.

*giggles*

You can thank **HunterHunting** for the boob gropage since she was pleading for some. *snicker*

oh! and I wanted to update my playlist with some more songs, but Playlist has been acting like a real turd lately, and keeps kicking me out - hopefully they'll get their act together soon and I'll be able to do that.

and in case you're curious: Some visuals:

Alice's dress: http://www(DOT)betseyjohnson(DOT)com/store/productdetails2(DOT)aspx?categoryid=1140&productid=8500&np=1140

Bella's Dress: http://www(DOT)bluefly(DOT)com/Laundry-by-Shelli-Segal-black-matte-jersey-layered-necklace-dress/cat20114/305310401/detail(DOT)fly

Oh, Stonedward... http://www(DOT)zimbio(DOT)com/pictures/i5Zx0LlmEDi/3rd+Annual+Rome+International+Film+Festival/by8drDufhIj/Robert+Pattinson


	6. Hitchcock & Candy

**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who has read/reviewed/fav'd/alerted. I heart you all. srsly. Like...I'd circle "yes" if you passed me a note that asked: _Do you like me? Circle yes or no._

Big thanks to the Usual Suspects - **LexieCullen17** for not clubbing me over the head for the massive amounts of grammar fail that graced this chapter before she took her magical purple pen to it, and to **HunterHunting** for the preread and making me spit take at her comments.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of these characters, they belong to S. Meyers. I just like to get them high....

* * *

"Bella, these aren't scary movies. They're classics," Edward says as he pulls me closer.

I don't believe him, and my thoughts are validated only a half hour later as I'm glued to Edward's side, my head buried into his neck as horrible music plays over the sounds of a woman shrieking. How these boys are able to endure a horror movie marathon without having nightmares for the next month is beyond me. Edward laughs at my inability to stomach the scary, and I can't understand how they're already on their the third movie and perfectly sane. Thankfully, I'm able to miss the rest of _Psycho_ while comfortably nestled into Edward's fleece. His hand stroking my hair helps distract me. While Aro queues up the next movie, one about birds, I take the chance to head outside for a smoke break, plotting a way to get Edward to bail with me.

I'm already halfway done with my cigarette before Edward rolls his own and lights it. He takes a long inhale, blowing out a plume of smoke into the chilly October air.

"So...want to go grab something to eat?" I ask, figuring his stomach will rally to my aid.

Edward turns and looks at me with disbelief.

"Bella. This is our annual Halloween movie marathon. You can't just skip out because you're hungry. If you're starving order a pizza. I'm sure the guys will chip in."

I roll my eyes because clearly Edward doesn't have a clue. I step closer, bravely running my hand up his arm in desperation. I'm not one to pull the 'sex kitten' card, and I'm not even sure if I'm actually doing it right. But if it will get me out of watching a movie about birds pecking people to death, then it's go time. I bat my eyelashes and pout my lips for extra effect.

"Oh...okay," I said, disappointed. "I was just thinking that maybe we could spend some time together...alone."

Edward's eyes grow wider, and he licks his lips as his Adam's apple bobs up and down with each swallow he takes. He walks towards me, and I think I might actually get out of the movie marathon, when Jasper bursts out, barreling towards us.

"_The Birds_ in five, fuckers. Plus, we've got Frosty all filled up and a pile of candy corn that Aro's mom gave him."

Edward looks from me to Jasper before putting his hands in his pockets and looking down at the ground. Poor boy has no idea what to do.

"Tell those assholes that I ordered a pizza and they each owe me five bucks!" I hear Marcus shout from inside.

I groan, knowing that Marcus has effectively made Edward's decision for him. Looking back at me, Edward has a sheepish grin on his face.

"He already ordered, Bella..." As if that explains it.

I wave my hand as if it's all okay and follow Edward back into the Hood.

_Thank god for Frosty._

A few hits of the good stuff and the bird movie becomes slightly tolerable. It also gives me an excuse to bury my face in Edward's chest every so often, so it's not like the afternoon is a complete waste. In between sneaking peeks of the movie, I think about Edward... _my boyfriend_. I stifle a giggle because I'm pretty sure I'll get some weird looks if the boys catch me giggling while somebody on the TV screen is surrounded by angry, deadly birds. I just can't help giggling at the thought that finally, Edward Cullen is my boyfriend. It's only been a week and nothing's changed, but really..._everything_ has changed. I don't feel as awkward now when I take his hand while walking the halls to class. My heart beats a bit less erratically whenever I pick up the phone to call him. And I feel like I can sidle up to Edward and peck him on the cheek whenever I want. That last one gets me every time.

It also terrifies the crap out of me.

I really, really like Edward and don't want to screw this up. I know other girls like him, and I'm pretty positive he's been with other girls. I'm not sure how far he's gotten, but I continuously make myself sick thinking about it. The farthest I've gotten with a guy was when I gave Tyler a really clumsy hand job after the prom last year. But by the loud grunting noises that he made, I think it was okay. I mean, he jizzed and all... I'm pretty sure. It was wet and warm and sticky and kind of nasty, to be honest. But he seemed pretty happy afterward. He offered to touch me too, but he had dirt under his fingernails, and I was pretty certain I had caught him picking his nose when he thought I wasn't looking, so I played it off like I was too tired. I cringe thinking back to that and almost laugh at myself at the lack of experience I possess.

Yet, despite the whole declaration on the bleachers thing, Edward hasn't acted any differently. He hasn't pushed me to do anything, and he hasn't really stepped up his game either. I'm kind of grateful, actually. I nibble on my lower lip, thinking about what the hell I would have done had Edward taken me up on my whole fake 'sex kitten' attempt to get him to ditch movie night. The way he had looked at me also made me wonder if he had indeed wanted more. I try and shrug it off and focus on anything else but the whole physical thing. I do decide, however, that Alice is going to be getting a phone call soon enough. This is certainly a time when having a friend who is a girl comes in handy.

Thankfully, I'm pulled from my obsessive thoughts as the movie ends and the guys begin talking again.

"You guys going to Mike's party next weekend?" Marcus asks as he picks at the last bits of candy corn.

I look at Edward and shrug. It's not like we'll be doing anything better than hanging out here, and Mike's not totally lame, so it will probably be semi decent. Edward shrugs back, letting me know that he feels the same way.

"Bella and I will probably swing by," he says, and it gives me a little thrill that way he speaks for me, even though my inner feminist should be screaming at me or something.

"I thought I'd go and bring Alice. She seemed to make a few other friends at the dance, and they'll probably be there. Mike's good people."

Aro nods in agreement before speaking.

"Do we have to wear costumes?"

Edward groans beside me while Jasper jumps up.

"Yes!" his arm shoots up in the air in triumph.

"Nobody should be that excited to get dressed up, man," Aro smirks.

"Fuck you, bro. It will be awesome. I already know just the thing..." Jasper trails off, an idea forming in his head.

"I hate this type of shit," grumbles Aro.

"Amen," agrees Edward, and I giggle.

"What?" he looks at me in disbelief. "Are you telling me that you enjoy getting all dressed up?"

"Not especially," I relent. "I just enjoy seeing you all grouchy about it."

To be honest, Halloween has never been a favorite of mine. I always feel like the odd girl out since I don't think it's fun to look like a slutty version of a nurse or a cat or something. Yet, I bet most of the girls at the party will be jumping at the chance to wear their bras as shirts for one day out of the year. Despite my normal Halloween reservations, watching Edward get all pouty about getting dressed up is kind of funny, and I can't help but laugh.

My laughter turns into shrieks as Edward pounces, his fingers heading straight for my ribs. He tickles me mercilessly, despite how much I'm squirming beneath him. My hands are flailing, fruitlessly smacking at his shoulders. I think I'm about to pee, but before I embarrass myself by staining the couch, Edward lets up, laughing as he pulls away. Before he moves away, he bends down and kisses the top of my head. He sits back with a satisfied smirk on his face. No way am I going to let him win now.

"We should do a group costume," I pipe up, adding my two cents in as I wink at Edward.

He stares at me, his mouth open. I can't help but giggle as he gives me his 'what the fuck' face. Then I giggle even harder because I find it utterly adorable. Before Edward can protest, Jasper starts rambling on about how it's a brilliant idea, and he is already listing possibilities. A twenty minute conversation later, a theme has been decided upon. I figure I can deal with it, so I'm not entirely unhappy. Edward looks slightly peeved, but his brow stops furrowing when I reach out to hold his hand. We hang around for another hour, playing some Uno and shooting the shit. I finally have to get going because I promised Charlie I'd make dinner.

As soon as I get home and get some water boiling for pasta, I call Alice to let her know about our costume theme. She's already one step ahead of me, having heard from Jasper earlier. He must have texted her while we were still at the Hood. She starts rattling on about the fabulous idea she has, and I can tell that, at least in that regard, Alice and Jasper are two costume'd up peas in a pod. We brainstorm for a bit about my costume and am totally excited when Alice comes up with a really good idea. We hang up, and after I toss some spaghetti into the boiling water, I rush upstairs and start tearing apart my closet, hoping to find what I'm looking for.

A week later I'm riding a sugar buzz from sneaking handfuls of Snickers that Charlie's bought to give out for trick-or-treating. He's not home yet and thankfully won't be back until after I've left. I don't need him taking pictures of Edward and me all dressed up. Edward still won't tell me what his costume is, and so in retaliation, I won't tell him mine. It's cute to watch him get all huffy about it. I pull on my knee length socks, tie my shoes, and toss my hair up into a ponytail to finish up the look. I check myself out the mirror and grimace slightly. I had been stoked when I had found my uniform at the bottom of my closet, but didn't realize that it now fit a bit too snugly. As I check myself out, I notice a large expanse of white thigh showing and my shirt stretching tightly across my chest. There's not much I can do about it this late in the game, and I hope that nobody will really even notice. The doorbell rings, and I fly down the stairs, knowing it's Edward.

I open the door and start cracking up, seeing him in costume. Edward looks at me with a grin before flashing his charming smile.

"Want to make me a White Russian?"

He looks perfect, wearing a snug white v-neck t-shirt and a pair of plaid shorts. His bare legs are kind of knock kneed and hairy, but still hopelessly adorable. Completing the costume is a fuzzy, brown robe and a pair of sunglasses.

"The Dude abides," I say, shaking my head.

He really has the whole Duderino thing going on, and even if _The Big Lebowski_ wasn't one of my favorite movies, I think I'd still be able to tell who he is in an instant. I knew that when the gang decided on movie characters as their theme that Edward would just be able to find something that wasn't too 'Halloweeny.' I turn to grab a jacket, but before I can, I notice that my shoelace has come undone, so I bend down to tie it. I can almost feel the fabric against my ass stretch as I bend over. A groan from behind me makes me hurry it up, and I turn to find Edward biting his lower lip, his eyes boring holes into me.

"What?" I ask, suddenly completely self conscious.

I grab my jacket and hold it up against me. Edward comes over and pulls it away.

"No, don't. You look...fucking amazing. I'm just trying to figure out who you are."

I blush at his compliment and look away.

"I'm...um...that chick from _Bend It Like Beckham_," I ramble, not even remembering her name.

"Oh, cool!" exclaims Edward, his eyes trailing up and down my body. "I didn't know you play soccer."

"I don't," I explain, shaking my head. "Well, I don't anymore. I did back in junior high. I was a forward. But I didn't do well with all the running, and I'd get more bruises than goals somehow, so I gave it up. But, I kept the uniform."

Edward mutters something that sounds like "I'm glad," but I'm not quite sure. Instead, I toss him a Snickers, and he smiles gratefully as he pops it into his mouth. I'm about to toss one into my mouth as well when Edward walks over, placing his hand on mine. He grabs the wrapped chocolate from my hand and shakes his head, a playful smirk growing on his face. He rolls the Snickers between his hands for a bit before slowly peeling back the silver foil. He plucks the bite-sized piece of chocolate out and brings it up to my lips. I open my mouth slightly in anticipation, but Edward holds back, placing it just within reach. He takes it and drags it along my lip, leaving a trail of chocolate in its wake. He repeats this action on my top lip, so I'm essentially wearing melted chocolate lipstick, and instead of being weirded out, it's kind of the hottest thing ever. I shift a little in my soccer shorts, feeling tingles in my Fruit of the Looms.

With a devilish wink, he pops the remaining chocolate in his mouth, licking his fingers in the most ridiculously way possible. I feel my mouth watering, and it's not because of the chocolate. If Edward doesn't do something soon, I think we'll both be standing in a puddle of my drool. Finally, he leans in and licks his lips. I can feel his breath against my face, and it's all hot and peanuty. His tongue flicks out and just barely traces the line of chocolate left on my lips. I may let an awkward groan-sigh escape my mouth, but Edward doesn't seem to care and soon his lips cover mine. It's a messy mix of kissing, chocolate and sticky caramel. His body presses to mine when he pulls me to him, his furry robe tickling the bare skin on my legs. I try not to think about that as I kiss him back, feeling a bit lightheaded. Soon I feel a tingling growing down below again, but this time it's needy and strong, and I'm going crazy from it. Edward must feel it too, and it freaks him out or something because he jumps back, muttering "fuck, fuck, fuck," under his breath. His hand reaches into his robe pocket and pulls out his vibrating cell phone.

_Oh._

"What the fuck, Jasper?"

I can't hear the other half of the conversation, but clearly it's Jasper. _Stupid poor timing jerkface_. I wonder how he'd like it if I called Alice right as he was about to...I stop myself, unable to actually allow myself to go there. Instead, I lick my lips, catching the remaining bits of chocolate before I grab my coat and put it on. Edward finishes up his phone call and looks at me with sad puppy dog eyes. I just stick my tongue out and thread my arm through his.

"Come on, let's go party!"

He smiles, muttering something about Jasper and his impatience as we slide into the car. It's only a five minute drive to Mike's and there are already a bunch of cars there. We go right in, because the door is slightly open and music is pumping through the speakers. I have no idea why the hell Mike is playing the Pussycat Dolls, nor do I want to even ponder how the hell I know that it's them. But it's awful music, and I pray they throw in some good stuff at some point. Edward grabs my hand and pulls me in. Mike's house is decorated like a country cottage, and I wonder what his mom would think if somebody puked on her larger-than-life ornamental duck wearing a gingham print apron. As we walk by it, Edward whispers in my ear, "Quack, quack," and I can't help but burst into laughter.

"What's so funny?" asks Mike when we make it to the kitchen.

Only, it comes out sounding more like "Wath tho thunny" because of the lopsided set of plastic vampire teeth he's sporting. Mike's face is all pale, most likely due to baby powder, and he's wearing a black suit and cape, with his normally blond hair all slicked back. He looks like a cheap imitation of an old school Dracula. He's standing there, waiting for an answer, while holding a tray of the most disgusting looking things I've ever seen jiggling on top of it.

"Nothing," I say, waving him off. "What in the world is that?"

I point to the tray, in case he's unclear what I'm grossed out by.

He laughs as he looks down, the stupid pointy plastic teeth falling out onto the floor. I almost gag, watching Mike bend down, wipe them off and pop them back in his mouth.

"These are drunken worms!" he exclaims, pointing to the gelatinous masses.

"Explain," I demand.

As Mike begins to explain, Edward leans forward sniffing them.

"I got a bunch of gummy worms," Mike begins. "Then I dumped them in a bowl, soaked them in vodka and let them sit in the fridge all day. They look nasty, but they taste amazing."

He picks one up and it wiggles in the air. Waving it in my face, Mike proceeds to taunt me with it. I shriek and jump back, and as I do, Edward steps forward and bites it right out of Mike's fingers.

"Gross," I say as I watch Edward slurp it down.

"Oh man, these are awesome," he says, plucking one more off the tray.

I eye Edward warily, but since he looks genuinely happy to be eating them, I cautiously poke at one before gingerly picking it up and flicking my tongue out to taste it.

_Holy hell, that's tasty. _

It tastes like fruit punch, only yummier. I take a bite, and while the texture is slimy as hell, the taste more than makes up for it. I eat up one pretty quickly and grab another one, chewing it slightly and letting the deliciousness slide down my throat. I go to grab another one when Mike pulls back the tray.

"Woah, woah, woah, Swanster," he says, and he's lucky I don't kick him in the nads for that nickname. "These worms have been soaked in premium vodka and are pretty potent. You might want to give it a little time before you snag another one."

I roll my eyes because one, Mike Newton probably assumes Popov is top tier vodka, and two because I don't taste any alcohol in this thing, at all. I sneak out my hand and snatch one more and down it quickly, grinning at Mike who just rolls his eyes. Before he's able to say anything I don't want to hear, I hear somebody call my name at a super high decibel.

"Bellllllllllla!"

I look around and almost fall to the floor laughing. Jasper and Alice have arrived, and they look amazing. I cant even wrap my head around Alice's costume, so for the moment I focus on Jasper. Edward's gone up to them, and they're geeking out about each other's costumes. Jasper is wearing all white, with his pants being held up by suspenders and his button down shirt opened at the top. Perched atop his head is a black, felt bowler hat, and his eyes have been lined with black makeup, with streaks of black coming off his left eye. A brown cane completes the look, and I give him a thumbs up in approval.

Finally, I look over at Alice and really can't contain myself. She's spiked her now bleached hair, and must have added some extensions to it because it flows down in a spiky mullet. Her face is simply made up, with only her eyes covered in pale blue and white makeup. She's wearing some fierce black leggings and a long, sparkly overcoat. I'm not sure where she found a coat like that, but it looks like it's made up of hundreds of shiny sequins. A white ruffled shirt underneath peeks through, finishing the look.

Mike walks over and leans in to whisper in my ear.

"I don't get it. Who...what are they?"

I laugh but don't both even whispering back. Instead, I speak loudly.

"Jasper is Alex from_ A Clockwork Orange, _and Alice is Jareth, The Goblin King!"

Mike still looks confused, and I sneak another vodka worm while he's not paying attention. After quietly slurping it down, I clarify.

"You know, from _Labyrinth_?"

Mike just shrugs and heads into the living room, with his now depleted tray of deliciousness. I, on the other hand, am feeling really good and start singing in Alice's direction.

"You remind me of the babe!"

Alice, knowing exactly what I'm doing, shouts back.

"What babe?"

I skip up to her and take her hand, twirling her around.

"The babe with the power!"

Alice giggles, as she plays along.

"What power?"

At this point, I notice that all eyes are on us, but I don't seem to care. I kick it up another notch and continue to sing, this time with Alice joining in.

"The power of Voodoo. Who do? You do. Do What?"

Soon, we're dancing around, arms flailing, booty's shaking, doing David Bowie no justice with our warbling voices. Jasper and Edward are off to the side, laughing their asses off with two guys who look like Harold and Kumar. When I look closer, I notice it's actually Aro and Marcus, and I feel giddy at their choice of costume. I bounce over to them and shout, "Did you find White Castle?"

I can't stop laughing at my clearly clever joke and when I look back they're all laughing too, so I figure I'm not making that big of a fool of myself. A quick stop in the kitchen provides me with some sort of mixed drink that tastes like a mixture of suntan lotion and rum. It's not half bad. I look around for Edward, and he's hovering over a bowl of chips, talking to Jasper. He looks so adorable with his sunglasses now pushed up into his messy hair. Before I realize it, my drink is finished, and I'm grabbing another one. After I down that one, I eat a few chips while everyone chats some more.

Finally, we all head into the living room where the music had gotten a bit better, and I grab Alice's hand to dance with me. I'm not really much of a dancer, so this surprises me, but it feels good, so I go with it. On my way to find some dancing space, I spot another of those yummy worms, so I grab two, eating them right away. Soon, Alice and I are spinning around, dancing to the beat. I feel flushed and warm, but I don't mind when a pair of hot hands wrap around my waist. My head falls back, and I see that it's Edward. I smile as I say hi.

"Having fun?" he asks, and I nod my head rapidly, feeling a bit woozy as I do so.

I realize I'm incredibly thirsty, so Edward goes off to find me some water. Alice is dancing while holding a red, plastic cup, so I hold my hand out, and she shares with me. I take a big gulp and realize too late that it's beer. I drink a few more sips, because I'm still thirsty, even though it's kind of bitter. My heart is racing at this point, so I head over to the couch where Aro and Marcus are sitting. There's a huge bowl of Skittles on the table, and at the moment, that sounds like the perfect thing. I grab a handful and then slide down so I'm sitting on the floor, right next to the table. I begin sorting out my handful into little piles of similarly colored Skittles. My green pile far outweighs my red pile, so I dig into the bowl and start plucking out red ones.

I begin eating them systematically, first a red then a yellow then a green then an orange. Edward comes back with some water finally, but I'm no longer thirsty. Instead, I'm intensely focused on my Skittles. Edward watches me with a smirk one his face.

"What?" I ask, wanting to be in on the joke.

"You enjoy the taste of Skittles, huh?"

I shrug.

"Taste the rainbow and all that jazz," I reply, giggling at what I think is a clever response.

Edward shakes his head, laughing and takes a sip of his water. Then he hands it out to me.

"You really should be drinking some water. Are you hungry? I think I saw some pizza around here."

"You're just drinking water?" I ask, wondering if he's been drinking alcohol.

"Yeah, since I'm driving. I had a couple of those worm things before, but I'm sticking to water and soda now," he explains.

I nod my head, loving the fact that Edward's pretty thoughtful beneath his furry brown robe...just like The Dude. I grab his empty hand and thread my fingers through it, rubbing my thumb in slow circles across it. The feel of his hand in mine is magical, and I want more. I stand up suddenly, ignoring the way the room spins when I do, and drag Edward back to where I was dancing. We keep holding hands and sway our bodies to the music, but it's not enough. I have a moment of clarity when I realize that not only am I ready to start exploring the physical stuff with Edward, but I really, really want to. My body is buzzing, and my fuzzy mind is telling me to press myself up against Edward's.

So, I do.

Soon, we're dancing closely, my thigh in between his legs, as his hands grip tightly at my waist, helping to keep me upright. I wrap my own hands around his neck and pull him closer, enjoying the feeling of his hot breath on my neck. I wiggle my hips and inhale sharply when I feel his boner, hard and firm pressed up against me. I'm not sure what propels me to do so, but soon I'm grinding all up on him, my hips writhing in all sorts of directions. Edward's eyes grow wide as he watches me, but he makes no move to stop me, so I keep it up. His breathing gets heavier, and I hear a moan escape his lips. His red, pouty, delicious lips. I lean in, wanting to kiss them, when my head starts spinning and my stomach starts fluttering. Only, it's no longer fluttering that I feel but strong waves of nausea, and I push Edward away as I run towards the open front door. I notice the stupid duck on my way out and have a fleeting thought of bending over to pet it, when I can't stand it any longer and throw the front door open as wide as it can go. My body doubles over, and the most colorful vomit I have ever seen spews from my mouth.

"Ugh..." I groan as I notice bits of Skittles floating throughout the nasty mix.

I feel a warm hand on my back, rubbing circles, but before I'm able to see who it is, my stomach rolls one more time. I throw up again, but this time there's not much left to come up, thankfully. I spit into the grass, trying to clear my mouth out of the funky feeling and am eternally grateful when I see a cup of water in front of me.

"Thanks," I manage to croak out, my voice hoarse.

I take a sip and swish it around my mouth, spitting it out. I take a few more sips, feeling the water burn as it slides down my throat. My head is throbbing, and I feel clammy. I look up to see who was helping me, hoping it was Alice. My eyes land on a frowning Edward.

_Fuck._

My clammy skin starts to heat up as I flush in embarrassment. I can't believe that he saw me puke up. Twice. I cradle my head in my hands and take a shaky step back to sit on the front steps of Mike's house.

"I'm so sorry," I manage to whisper, keeping my eyes shut.

There is no way he is going to want to stick around with me after this. I don't want to stick around with me. I take a chance and look over at Edward. His eyebrows are furrowed, and his face is pale white.

"Please don't do that again," he whispers, looking down.

"I won't," I promise, tears starting to prick at the corner of my eyes. "I'm not drinking for a long time. I have no idea what happened. I only had a couple mixed drinks and a few sips of beer."

I think back to what I consumed, and can't figure out how I had got so drunk, so quickly.

"How many of those vodka worms did you have?"

"Four? Maybe five?" Those little fuckers were stronger than I thought, apparently.

Despite having already promised Edward that I wasn't going to drink for a long time, I make a promise to myself as well. The way I feel now is not worth the short-lived fun time at the party. I groan as my head continues to throb and try to take a few more sips of water. Soon, Alice comes out with a wet washcloth which she gives to me. I wipe down my face, feeling a bit better. Alice also has my jacket, which I grab eagerly and put on, only now realizing how chilly it is.

"Ready to go home?" Edward asks, and I'm relieved.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to have to leave the party early."

Edward shakes his head as he helps me stand up.

"Nah. The only good thing about it was that you were there," he mumbles, and despite my pounding head, I manage to grin.

"Thanks," I whisper, leaning into him as we make our way to his car.

When we get back to my house, the only light left on is on the porch, so I pray that means Charlie has gone to bed already. Edward helps me inside and quietly goes to get me two Tylenol and some more water. After making sure I take them, he presses his lips to my forehead, kissing me goodbye.

"Happy Halloween, Swan."

"Happy Halloween, Cullen," I smile at him, squeezing his fingers before he walks out the door.

* * *

**A/N:** Here's the part where you all forgive me for the massive cockblockage (don't worry, both Char & Gin yelled at me plenty for it) and listen while I ramble on about all this self pimpage, b/c I'm a h00r like that.

I co-wrote an entry in the TwiSlash Unveiled Contest - voting going on right now: **http://www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/u/1945699/TwiSlash_Unveiled** - so, if you dig some hot boy loving - go check it out!

I also wrote a fic, **Inhale Her**, for the Awkward Contest - voting going on right now as well! **http://www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/u/2238935/** Link for that fic in my profile.

oh! and if you're not a total Labyrinth h00r like me, check out **http://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=8UoG-xQ9Lqc** to get an idea of what Alice and Bella sing mid chapter.


	7. Weitz & Lasagna

**A/N:**

To make up for the skittle laced cockblockage of last chapter, I give you the somewhat saucy shenanigans in this chapter. Again, you pretty much have Gin & Char to thank for that.

Multiple peen flashes to **lexiecullen17** for putting up with my brand of crazy and beta-ing this puppy and to **HunterHunting** for the preread. I puffy heart you both.

**Disclaimer:** These characters are the property of S. Meyers. I just like getting them high. (although, shockingly, this is a pretty sober chapter!)

**

* * *

  
**  
My text book is open, but I can't really concentrate. I read the word problem five times before finally actually absorbing the information. The tap, tap, tapping of a pen from behind me isn't helping any either.

_Batman decided to go gambling one night. He has 'k' dollars. He pays $5.00 admission to enter a casino. While there, he doubles his money. He leaves and pays $5.00 for parking his Bat Mobile. He pays $5.00 to enter a second casino. He again doubles his money, but when he pays $5.00 for parking, he has no money left. Find 'k'._

I can't even begin to fathom what the fuck Batman is doing in my math problem, and even further - what the hell he's doing at a casino. I mean, why would Batman be at a casino in the first place? Shouldn't he be out fighting crime or screwing Catwoman or something? But since I have to deal with Batman, maybe he can help me out. Maybe Batman can dig into that super cool utility belt of his and tell me what the heck to do with the fact that Edward Cullen is currently sitting on my bed. _My bed. _

I stare at the problem a few more times, but Batman isn't really being any help, and sadly, I can't figure out how much damn change he has for the life me. Instead, when I crane my neck to look behind me at my bed, I'm left with my own cute, cinnamon-haired problem.

_Edward decides he doesn't want to do homework at his place, and instead, he convinces his girlfriend they should do homework at her home. He is now sitting on the bed, 'x' feet away from Bella. Bella's heartbeat is racing at 'y' beats per minute. The smaller the 'x' distance becomes, the faster the 'y' rate is. How much longer until Bella's heart leaps out of her chest and screams from the sheer sexual tension in the room?_

I groan and my head hits my math book, causing me to curse out loud.

"Shit!"

Within seconds, Edward is behind me, his hand rubbing my shoulder.

"What's up?" he asks, peering over my shoulder. "Tough problem?"

He's silent for a moment, so I look up and watch as he scrutinizes my text book. His face is scrunched up in concentration, and his tongue darts out and licks his bottom lip. I want to reach out and suck on it. I don't, however, and I sit on my hands for good measure.

"Oh!" he finally exclaims. "This is easy, 'k' is..."

"No, it's fine." I interrupt, not wanting him to actually do my homework for me.

I slam my textbook shut and push away from the desk.

"I think I could use a break, though. How about you?"

Edward nods his head and walks back over to the bed, where's he's spread out his books and papers, begins to tidy them up, and slides them back into his backpack. I walk over to the TV in my room, grabbing the remote.

"Movie?" I ask, and he grins in response.

"Sounds good."

I turn the television on and start scanning channels to see if there's anything on before diving into my stash of DVDs. I pause on one channel when Edward yells, "Oh, go back!" and try to figure out what it is.

_American Pie_.

I laugh, shrugging my shoulders, but I figure that a comedy actually sounds pretty good right about now. I turn around and let out a sigh of relief when I see that Edward has moved to the small futon couch, which is pushed up against my wall. I wasn't sure how I would have handled sitting on my bed with him. I plop down next to him and turn the volume up. Seconds later his arm is around my shoulder, and I'm snuggled into his side as we watch together.

We're at the part where Jim's in his room, watching the scrambled porn, and I'm shifting around uncomfortably in my seat. My mind starts wandering, and I can't help wondering if Edward does..._that_.

"You okay?" Edward nudges me, and I smile up at him.

"Mmhmm..." And then, out of nowhere, I start rambling. It's awful word vomit, and I fling my hands up to my mouth to stop it. But it's too late.

"It's just...do guys do that a lot? I mean, it seems like a lot, and he has all that porn and do guys really like watching or reading porn that much? Although, I guess you don't really _read_ porn, do you? I'll just shut up now," I finish, my cheeks burning.

I avoid looking at Edward, but I can feel his body shaking, and I'm sure he's laughing at me. I hang my head even further, completely appalled by the foot in mouth disease I seemed to have picked up. I'm really hoping he can forget I just said any of that, but of course, God hates me. Instead Edward mutes the TV and shifts his body so he's now sitting, facing me. I figure I have to look at him when he starts talking, so I do, but not before I run my fingers through my hair, draping it in front of my face.

"I guess so?" he says, but it comes out more like a question, and he sounds hesitant.

I finally actually look at him. He's got a slight blush to his cheeks, and he is scratching at the back of his neck. Then, because I'm the world's biggest dork, I ask him to clarify.

"You guess so...what?"

The redness in Edward's cheeks spreads to his neck as he chews on his lip, as if he's trying to figure out how to answer me.

"You know...do that. What he was doing. But, like, not a lot. Not like a shit ton or anything."

"Oh." Because really, how do you respond when your boyfriend tells you that he touches himself? _Great job, Edward. Keep up the good work! _

I cringe, hoping that that's the end of the conversation and we can go back to watching the movie. Instead, Edward thinks that it's time for twenty questions and starts talking again.

"Do...you?"

"Do I what?" I ask, since I'm trying to make this conversation as painful as possible apparently.

"You know..." he says, his voice breaking up a bit. "Do you...touch yourself?"

There is absolutely no way I am about to answer that. Whatever happens between me and my shower head is between me and my shower head, and Edward has no business finding out about any of that. Instead, I shove him playfully and roll my eyes.

"You wish," I say, sticking my tongue out and ignoring the fact that I'm probably ten shades of red right now.

Edward mumbles something, but I'm not about to wonder what it is. I decide I need to divert his attention stat, so I reach to grab the remote. When he realizes what I'm doing, he lifts it up, just beyond my reach, over his head. It's turned into a challenge now, and there's no way I'm going to let him win. I try my first line of attack, tickling him right under the ribs, but the man is like a fortress and won't break. He's just sitting there, a smug look upon his gorgeous face and the damn remote, held up high, away from me.

I lean up to snatch it, but at the last second, he switches it to his other hand and waves it at me from the other side of the futon. Without even thinking, I lunge, leaning over his body in hopes of capturing the damn remote. Just when I think it's within my reach, the remote moves back above his head, and I need to think fast. I reposition myself quickly, and I notice I'm straddled over Edward's legs, my hips pressing into him. Using his legs for leverage, I press myself up, so my chest crushes against his, but my arms slide a bit higher, pulling at his wrists, trying to bring them down. One of Edward's arms snakes down so it rests on my side, and I think he's finally going to relent. Instead, his fingers splay out against my ribs and he starts tickling me, causing me to writhe against him uncontrollably.

I grab onto his shoulder for support as my body wiggles and and jerks around while he continues to tickle me relentlessly. I start calling out, shouting at him as I gasp for air between laughter. Edward finally stops, and I sag down. My body needs to calm down from the tickle high, so I take a few deep breaths, trying to regulate my beating heart. When I finally open my eyes, I'm staring right into Edward's, and the closeness is so intense, I freeze. He opens his mouth as if to speak, and I can feel his warm breath wash over me.

"Hi," he whispers, just inches from my face.

"Hi," I reply shyly.

We're so close, and I can feel every inch of him.

_Every. Inch._

As I rest against him, I feel something hard poking me in the hip. I bite my lower lip, knowing exactly what it is, and kind of wanting to feel it some more. I shift slightly, pushing into him, and Edward groans. His hand that's been gripping my side comes up and his fingers brush against my lip, freeing it from my teeth. I think I forget to breathe for a moment because I'm feeling a little woozy and light headed. I blink my eyes rapidly and try to focus on something else. His other hand is still holding on to the remote, so I make one last half-hearted attempted to get it. When my hand touches his, the damn thing falls to the ground, but neither of us care. Instead, our fingers thread together, and he pulls me impossibly closer so our faces are touching. Our lips are touching, but nothing's happening and it's driving me absolutely mad.

Finally, Edward moves forward just the slightest bit and kisses my mouth gently. His lips are pretty dry and a little rough, but I don't even care. Instead, I push into him and kiss him back, flicking my tongue out to taste him. He pulls back a bit, but instead of stopping, he captures my lower lip and sucks it gently before nibbling on it. It's weird but kind of hot at the same time. I want more. In my excitement, I kiss him hard, our teeth clashing against each other. I can't help but giggle, and he uses the chance to stick his tongue into my open mouth.

While our lips are busy, I vaguely notice that Edward's hands are moving. One is still threaded with my own, while the other moves up from my waist to my chest. I thank the gods of fashion for whoever invented the v-neck because Edward trails one of his fingers against the neckline of my t-shirt, starting up near my neck and dipping lower into my almost non-existent cleavage. His fingers stay there for a bit, toying with the edge of the shirt, before they plunge a bit lower, tracing the curves they find there. The feel of Edward's rough fingers against my skin causes a shiver to run up my spine, and I want him to do it again. Edward stills momentarily and looks up at me.

"Is this..." His eyes dart towards his fingers which are diving even lower. "...okay?"

I nod furiously, hoping he continues what he's doing. A wry grin appears on his face before he pulls his hand out. I frown, wondering why he bothered to ask if he was just going to stop. I find out why a second later when his hands move to my waist and, ever so slowly, push the fabric of my shirt up. I get the hint and lift my arms up, eternally grateful that I shaved my pits last night. My relief lasts for a brief second, until I realize that I'm wearing the dorkiest bra in existence. I glance down at the white triangle-shaped bra with a tiny pink bow in the middle. My arms spring to life, crossing them across my chest. This should not be the introduction my boyfriend has to "the girls".

No.

They should make a grand debut trussed up in lace or silk or leather, for fuck's sake. Instead, they're clad in white cotton courtesy of the Junior department at Target. My embarrassment skyrockets, flooding my cheeks and making them burn. I let out a huff of air, as I try to imagine a way to salvage this situation. I peek at Edward, but he's just staring at my chest, wide eyed. He feels my eyes staring at him, and he glances up.

"Are you...are you cold?" he asks, his voice somewhat shaky.

"What?" I shake me head. "No, I'm not, I'm just..." I trail off, not sure how to explain to my boyfriend that I'm simply embarrassed.

"Oh. Then, can I?" he questions me as his hands come up to my arms to gently remove them from my chest.

I don't answer, but allow him to move them instead. Nobody says anything for a few seconds and I start to feel self-conscious, sitting there, practically topless. I'm about to grab my shirt to redress and chalk this whole thing up to a big, fat fail when Edward's hands come up to cup my boobs. His hands are warm as they caress stroke the sides before brushing over my nipples.

I let out a small squeak...maybe.

Edward experiments by touching them in different ways, waiting a few seconds after each time to see how I react. A few times, he grips too hard, like he's testing a melon for ripeness, and I have to whisper out, "softer..." Finally he figures out a rhythm where he's cupping and gently squeezing them, and every so often, his thumbs pass over my now-pointy nipples. They actually kind of hurt, but in a good way, and so each time he touches them, I involuntarily thrust my chest into his hands. My lower body starts moving, too... all on it's own, I swear. I just start rocking back and forth, needing something, but I'm not sure what that is. I just need more. More movement, more friction, more Edward.

As I rock against him, Edward lets out a sigh and begins rocking back. I move my hands so that they're on his shoulders, and I'm now practically bouncing up and down. Each time I land, I'm poked by Edward's dick, which feels really, really hard. Sometimes it pokes me in the hip, and other times it's right between my legs, and those times feel really, really good. I have a fleeting thought that I might come down on it the wrong way and might break it passes through my mind. But since he's not making any move to stop me, I keep going, because it feels kind of awesome. I start tingling down between my legs, slowly at first. But then it feels kind of crazy, like I have an itch that no amount of scratching will make it go away. But I don't think I want it to go away. I keep riding up and down on Edward, hoping that makes the twitchy tingles stick around a bit longer.

While I'm trying to figure out what the heck is going on down below, Edward leans forward and starts to...nuzzle my boobs? He has his face down in between the tiny amount of cleavage I'm rocking, and is moving his head from side to side. It's actually kind of funny, and I'm about to burst out laughing but then..._oh_...his prickly cheek grazes the top of my nipple, and it just feels So. Damn. Good. No laughing here. Instead, I bray out something akin to a moan - although it sounds more like a cow giving birth - and I swear Edward is going to push me off him or something. But then the opposite occurs. He starts thrusting harder.

Between the boob nuzzles and the vag twingles, I'm starting to thrash around a bit, and I hope I don't look like I'm on fire or something. It feels freaking phenomenal, but I need more. I'm not sure what possesses me to do it, but my hands start moving on their own accord and within seconds, I'm struggling with the button on Edward's jeans. Edward freezes for a moment, and his hand flies to my own, stilling it.

"A-a-are you sure, Bella?"

I just nod because I'm afraid I'll blurt something stupid out if I speak. Edward stares up at me for a moment, and I swear that if he waits one second more, I'll lose all nerve and go crawl up into a little ball while blasting some Tori Amos. Thankfully, instead, he reaches up and kisses me, causing all my doubts to disappear. I melt into his kiss and my hands abandons the button on his pants that I just undid. I start grinding into him again. This time, the zipper from his pants that has come undone begins to rub up and down on my girly bits. I'm kind of in love with Edward's zipper and the magic it's working on me at the moment. Edward seems to forget that I was heading for his peen when he starts thrusting into me harder, and his lips crash against mine, while his tongue continues to explore the far reaches of my mouth.

My breathing starts to get louder and faster, and in fact, I'm pretty sure I'm panting. The twingles down below reach an all time high, and I start to feel a warm burst of something in my belly. This is far too powerful for just some pansy-ass butterflies. I'm feeling something akin to monster trucks in there. Out of nowhere , I'm moaning and sighing, and Edward starts lifting me up and down harder against him. I cry out, feeling a burst of heat power through me. I slow down my movements, but Edward's still going. I reach down to maybe try and help him out or something, but my limbs feel like jello, and I can hardly move. I make it as far as parting his zipper and see the dark blue cotton of his boxers peeking through. When I look again, that's not the only thing peeking through, though.

I see a flash of dark pink bob out each time he thrusts his hips up. I place my hand against the hardness in his boxers and try to curl my fingers around it, but it's kind of tricky because he's still wearing his pants. I watch in amazement as Edward's chest starts heaving, and his face scrunches up in the cutest way. His eyebrows are all furrowed, and he's licking his lips with his eyes squeezed shut. He continues to thrust his hips into my hands, letting a moan escape every so often. Edward moaning is the hottest thing... ever. Suddenly, his eyes fly open, and he looks up at me. His arm flings out, and he grabs a few tissues from the dresser next to us. He holds them over his boxers shorts and grunts as he grips the head of his dick. I can't stop staring as I watch him squeeze it a bit. Because of his boxers and the wad of tissues, I can't see much, but I can tell he's pretty big. Well, I can tell he's bigger than Tyler's, and that's all I've got to go on, really. He's also rose colored and kind of veiny. I wonder if that's normal.

Finally, Edward finishes wiping himself clean and tucks himself back in. I silently say goodbye to his peen, and wonder if I'll see him again soon . I starts to scramble off Edward, in case he wants to go to the bathroom or something, but he pulls me back close to him and presses a kiss to my forehead.

"Thanks," he whispers, and I blush, feeling kind of giddy.

"Thank you," I respond, biting my lower lip.

He starts to say something else when I hear the familiar sound of tire wheels spinning rocks in the driveway.  
_  
Charlie's home! SHIT!_

I jump off Edward and begin sputtering and shouting all at once, my heart racing and not in the good way.

"You need to get off and out of here and holy crap!"

Edward looks at me in confusion, and all I can do is point to the window. He looks out and echoes my 'holy crap,' before fixing his pants and jumping up, grabbing his things while I pull my shirt on. We fly down the stairs and make it to the living room just as I hear the front door open.

"Bells?" comes Charlie's gruff call from the front door.

"In here," I croak out, surprised I still have the wherewith all to answer him.

Charlie strolls in and surveys the scene in front of him. Edward and I are sitting at opposite ends of the couch. I think I look fine. My shirt's on properly, and I pulled my hair into a quick ponytail, so it doesn't look mussed. I look at Edward. At first glance, he looks completely normal. He doesn't look flushed or frazzled or like he just shot his load in my bedroom mere minutes ago. Then, I zero in on the wad of tissues that are still in his hand. I blink furiously, absolutely freaking that he is still holding it.

Charlie just stands there, not saying anything. He looks sort of intimidating, still in his work clothes, and I really hope he doesn't pull some sort of scary father bullshit. I'm not sure my poor heart could stand any more excitement today. I figure I should say something.

"Um, Char...dad?" I start, hoping to soften him up. "This is, um, Edward."

"Hello, sir."

Edward surprises me by popping up and offering my father his hand that's not holding his jizzy tissue. Charlie eyes Edward warily for a moment before taking his hand and shaking it firmly.

"Hello."

Then, Charlie turns his attention to me.

"Will Edward be joining us for dinner, Bells?"

While it's supposed to be a question, it seems like it comes out as more of a request, so I shrug and turn to Edward who nods his head in agreement.

"I just need to call my folks and let them know."

Charlie nods at this, and Edward scurries away to use his phone. Before Charlie can say another word, I stand up, intending to head to the kitchen to get dinner started.

"Please, just don't embarrass me...Dad."

Charlie smirks as I pass him, and I rush to the kitchen, pulling down ingredients for a quick lasagna. By the time Edward returns, I've got the noodles cooking in the boiling water and the veggies almost all cut up for the sauce.

"Need any help?" he asks, sticking his finger in the sauce and licking it.

I swat his hand away and tell him he can help strain the noodles. We assemble the lasagna, and I pop it into the oven before setting the table. Once that's done, we head back to the living room because I'm pretty certain Charlie would have a shit fit if Edward and I went up to my room. Edward pulls out his books and starts doing the rest of his homework, so I follow suit, running upstairs to grab my stuff first. When I open the door to my room, I look around quickly, making sure nothing screams 'a massively awesome make out session just occurred here.' Surprisingly, my room looks exactly the same as it did this morning.

I rush back downstairs, not wanting to leave Charlie and Edward alone for any longer than necessary. When I make it back to the living room, I'm taken aback to see them talking and actually looking like they're getting along. I listen in, and they're talking baseball, so I zone out until the buzzer from the oven alerts me to the fact that the lasagna is done. I bring the lasagna out, as well as some salad, and both Edward and Charlie tell me how delicious everything looks. I roll my eyes and serve them the food, and soon we're all sitting around the table, eating.

It's not exactly normal, but it's not exactly super-awkward either. It's somewhere in between the two, and completely surreal. Edward is here, having a meal with me and my father. When dinner is over, Edward makes a break for it, saying he needs to get back home. With Charlie hovering nearby, we're not able to get in much more than a quick hug before he leaves. I pout a little, but when Edward gives me a little smirk, I can't help but smile back, and a spark of warmth spreads through my belly. I dash upstairs before Charlie can give me the third degree, and thankfully, he leaves me be. With my books spread before me, I try to focus on the homework I have left to do, but instead, my gaze travels over to my futon, where I work myself up into a tizzy remembering everything that had happened earlier.

My dreams that night give me twingles.

* * *

**A/N:** Do y'all have twingles yet? ;)

You know how you could give _me_ twingles? *snicker* My o/s **Inhale Her** made it to the final round of voting in the Awkward Contest!! Please feel free to head on over to http://www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/u/2238935/AwkWard_Contest and check out the finalists and vote for your fav! (link also in my profile).

Oh! The answer to the math problem for all the nerdwards out there: k= 11. 25  
k-5.00 entering casino  
2(k-5.00) - leaving casino  
2(k-5.00)-5.00 (after paying for parking)  
(2k - 10) -10.00 = 2k - 20(after paying admission to the second casino)  
2(2k - 20) = 4k -40  
4k - 40 -5 = 0  
4k - 45 = 0  
k = 11. 25


	8. Judge & Onion Rings

**A/N: ***Peeks out from behind the haze of smoke that is Stonerward and waves* oh hai. O_O

So...I'm kinda blown away by the explosion in alerts/favs this fic has gotten in the last week. I know I have some pretty fantabulous ladies over at The Fictionators to thank. They wrote some sweet, sweet things, and I'm uber appreciative. http://bit(DOT)ly/aosFKO

Also! The wonderful gals over at TwiFic Promotions wrote up some sweetness about Stonerward. Thanks lovelies!! xo http://twi-ficpromotions(DOT)blogspot(DOT)com/2010/04/hood(DOT)html

An extra large order of onion rings (with loads of ranch dressing) and mucho thanks for my fantabulous beta **Lexiecullen17**. Char uses words like "cunt" in her beta comments and really, it just makes me love her that much harder. Spanks and a swing to my prereader **HunterHunting**. I heart you more than a pair of cheekies.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own Twilight or these characters. I just put them in awkward sitches.

* * *

Two weeks ago, I sort of almost, kind of touched Edward Cullen's peen. And ever since then, I can't stop thinking about it. I replay our super-hot make out session over and over in my head, remembering how amazing it was, and I wonder when we'll get a chance to do it again. I'm pretty sure we would have done it again if we had the chance, but we haven't. Whenever I'm at his house to do homework, or even just hang out, his mom is always home. She's like the sweet, maternal version of a huge effing cockblock. _Sigh._ There is absolutely no way I will have a heavy-duty make out session with Edward when his mom is in the next room folding laundry and watching Oprah.

It's not for lack of trying on his part though. Edward has mastered the sad puppy dog look ten times over. He likes to stand right next to me while I'm doing my best to concentrate on my homework, his breath tickling my ear while his hand brushes my shoulder. He claims he's not doing anything, but it's like he's memorized "Ten Tips to Seducing Your Girlfriend" from _Maxim_ or something. The boy has got some game.

He even tries to feel me up when we're at the Hood, but we rarely get away with it. Marcus is apparently a bigger cockblocker than Mrs. Cullen, and he puts an end to that quickly. Edward and I are the only two in the shack, hanging out on the couch, while Aro's inside getting snacks. We decide to make use of the rare alone time and get in a few quick kisses. Through a few pouty-faced looks on Edward's part, the kisses somehow turn into over the clothes touching. My hand is rubbing up and down on the bulge in his pants while he tries to grab my boobs through the thick sweater I'm wearing. _Stupid cold weather_. Before I'm even able to help him find them so he can actually grope them, Marcus walks in and throws a shit fit. Like, an honest to God, serious hissy fit; there's screaming and everything. Edward can't stop muttering about how just because Marcus isn't getting any doesn't mean that he should be penalized. I just giggle and pray that everyone will forget about it. A few bong hits later and it's thankfully back to normal, which is fine by me. Because, do I really want to be giving the guys a free show? No, I do not.

Besides not getting frisky at his house or the Hood, I also don't bring him back to my place. Despite Charlie hardly being home, I can't chance him walking in on us mid...you know what. To even think about Charlie walking in while I'm straddling Edward makes my mouth go dry and my heart rate speed up and not in that good kind of way. It would be a shame if Charlie resorted to pulling out his trusty shotgun and shooting Edward in the balls. To lose his peen before I even get to really touch it would be devastating. And, you know, I'm sure Edward would be pissed. So, instead, we're relegated to holding hands and stealing kisses when nobody else is noticing.

While I mostly don't seem to mind the lack of intimate contact, I have noticed that since the afternoon of the epic make-out on my couch, my shower head has been seeing way more action. Edward doesn't know about any of that, however, and he never will. A girl has to keep _some_ secrets. I sigh, thinking that tonight will most likely be another one where the shower head gets up close and personal with my girly bits.

I can't help but think about the damn shower head all the way through Banner's class. Edward isn't making it any easier on me, either. His hair is extra messy today, and he's wearing my favorite plaid button down shirt. It doesn't help that we're supposed to be working on some group project, so our desks are fused together, and I've been facing him all class. Instead of working on some assignment about molecules, I'm staring at Edward's face, fascinated by the loopy pattern his prickly scruff seems to be making across his cheeks. If it wasn't mid-afternoon on a school day, I might swear I was stoned. Instead, I'm pretty sure I'm simply high on Edward.

Unfortunately, our group also consists of Mike, so I'm not able to make googly eyes at Edward the entire time. Mike keeps butting in, asking me to help with one thing or another, and apparently he doesn't get the hint each time I give him a huffy eye roll. Edward is no help as he furiously writes away in his notebook. I glance up at the clock and see that there's only ten more minutes of class, finally. Then, I just have to get through photography, and maybe I can convince Edward that we should go hang out at the local park for a bit before heading to his house to do homework. Apparently, I have no qualms about making out in front of toddlers. Clearly I'm hard up for some of the good stuff.

Before I'm able to ask Edward what he thinks of my plan, he shoves a piece of paper towards me. I look at it briefly, thinking it's just part of the stupid assignment. However, it's written in Edward's super scrawly handwriting, so I take a second to look it over.  
_  
Bella - Would you like to go out to dinner?  
_  
My lips automatically curl into a smile. I pull out my pencil and answer him. I'm pretty certain that Charlie is working late today, so eating with Edward and our friends sounds like the perfect plan.

_Sure. Where are we going? Don't forget Jasper's on an anti-Chinese kick for whatever reason lately. _

The last time we got take out at the Hood, we had to listen to Jasper wail on about MSG and how you're never really certain that your Chinese food is free of it, even if they say 'no MSG' on the menu. I don't want to have to listen to his near lunatic ranting again. I hand the note back to Edward and am surprised to see that he looks a little sweaty. I hope he's not coming down with something. He looks at my response and then back up at me. He quirks his eyebrow before bending his head back down to start scribbling again. By this time, Mike's stopped doing whatever it is he's been doing and looks back and forth between me and Edward with narrowed eyes.

"What the hell, guys? We only have ten minutes left, and we need to finish this up."

Edward throws Mike an icy glare while he pushes me the note back to me. I ignore Mike and read what Edward has to say. I hope he suggests Mexican because I could really go for a burrito right now.  
_  
No - I meant with me. Just me._

I blink a few times before rereading the note. _Oh._ Despite having been official for a while now, Edward and I actually have never been on a true date. I'm certainly not counting when I made lasagna for him and Charlie as a date. And eating pizza while sitting on a ratty couch and listening to Marcus bitch about something lame doesn't count either. But no, now, Edward actually means a date. Like, a date-date.

_Oh._

I move my arm so it's shielding the note and hunch my back a bit to hover over it because Mike's now craning his neck towards me to get a better look. I want to tell him to go fuck off, but I'm polite, so I don't. Instead, I hastily scribble back to Edward, who looks like he's about to snap the pencil he's currently gripping between his fingers. I pass him the note and smile when his fingers flick out and cover mine for a moment. I glance up to see Mr. Banner coming in our direction, so I start talking to Mike in a horribly fake, loud voice.

"So, when you got that result, did you think it was supposed to go in column A or column B?" I ask a bewildered Mike, who stares at me like I started singing some Metallica in the middle of class.

He sputters, just as Mr. Banner walks by.

"Michael," Mr. Banner says in an admonishing tone. "Please stay focused. It seemed as if Bella was asking you a question."

I smile up at Mr. Banner, who looks at me approvingly before moving on.

"What the hell?" Mike asks, his eyes bugging out.

I hold back a snicker, knowing that will just piss him off even more.

"What?" I ask innocently.

"You know what, Bella," Mike pouts. "That was fucked up!"

"Dude," Edward hisses, fixing Mike with a stone-cold glare. "Lay. Off."

They are only three words, but they're enough to have Mike cowering back in his seat, looking anywhere but at me. When I look over at Edward to thank him, he just shrugs as if it was no big deal. Then, he passes me the note back. Right under my "Yes" he's drawn the dorkiest smiley face ever.

_Friday at 6? I'll pick you up._

I don't even bother writing back and instead nod my head like a damn bobble head doll, whispering that it sounds like a plan. Class finally ends, and after repositioning our desks, Edward walks me to photography class. He threads his hand through mine, holding it all the way to class, like normal. Although, it feels like he's holding it just a smidge tighter this time. His firm grip makes me smile. Before he releases my hand so I can go to class, I turn towards him and step up on my tip toes to whisper in his ear.

"So, will this dinner date of ours have a dress code?" I giggle. "Will I have to break out my fancy black dress?"

When I pull back, I see Edward looking at me with a furrowed expression. He actually looks stumped.

"I...um...no?" he finally answers, but it comes out more like a question. "Can I get back to you on that?"

I giggle some more and nod, pecking him on the cheek before I head into class. Just as I take my seat, I notice Edward's still at the door, but he's talking to Jasper. They keep stealing glances at me before going back to their conversation. Because of the chatty Bitch Brigade behind me, who are rehashing the apparently disastrous results for last night's _American Idol_, I can't hear what the boys are saying, but it looks serious. When Jasper finally makes it into the class just as the bell rings, I give him a questioning look, but he just shrugs and brushes me off like nothing happened. We only have to listen to Mrs. Cope for a few minutes before she lets us head into the dark room. I seize the chance to talk to Jasper and pinch his upper arm to get his attention.

"Ow! What the fuck, Swan?"

I look at him innocently as I shrug in response. _Ha! See how you like it, Jasper! _He shakes his head before turning to place his negatives in the tray.

"Don't even bother, Swan," he scoffs.

"What? How do you know what I want?" I ask, thinking that this is going to be harder than I thought.

"You want to ask me what Edward and I were talking about outside in the hallway. And I'm not saying a thing."

I huff, wondering what will be the best way to approach this. I pout and try to look sad.

"Why not?"

"Save it. Those puffy lips and sad panda face won't work on me. I've become immune since Alice started implementing it on me to get me to go shopping with her," he says with a roll of his eyes.

Alice. I realize I just might have an ace up my sleeve to work with.

"Fine. You don't have to tell me what you and Edward were talking about, and I don't have to tell you what Alice and I bought while shopping the other week."

Jasper snorts loudly before answering.

"Please. Like I don't hear enough of Alice's shopping escapades straight from her."

"Oh, I'm sure. But did she tell you how we spent over an hour in Victoria's Secret?"

Sure, this may be a big, fat fib, but I know Alice will be okay with it if she knows the situation I'm in. I really want to know what the boys talked about so I won't be blindsided by anything on our first official date. I'm not a big fan of surprises at all. I watch with glee as Jasper's eyes bug out while he wets his dry lips.

"V-v-victoria's Secret?" he asks, his voice slightly hoarse.

I nod, feeling slightly bad for my little white lie. However, I doubt that I'll have much persuading to do, in order to get Alice to take a trip to the fancy pants undie store anyway. Hell, maybe I'll even go with her and get myself something for my date.

"So?" I prod, hoping it's enough to get Jasper to spill the beans.

"Fuck, fine. I'm not telling you what he said, because that goes against the 'Bro-Code,' and I'm no punk. But, I will just say he was asking me where he should take you. I gave him a few good suggestions," Jasper remarks proudly.

"Fine," I grumble, knowing that it's worthless to push him any further.

"So?" Now it's Jasper's turn to prod.

"Oh," I mumble, trying to figure out a way around this. "It's, um, lacy and small, and um...she really wants you to be surprised, so I should shut up now. Girl code, you know?"

Jasper nods, looking out into space, almost thoughtfully as he scratches the back of his neck.

"Sure, sure. Thanks Swan," he says in a daze as he heads off to get more solution for his prints.

I snicker to myself and make a mental note to call Alice as soon as I get home. The rest of the day goes by in a blur, and I end up heading home after school ends, much to Edward's disappointment. I only have three days until Friday to figure out what the hell to wear for this date. It's to my benefit that Charlie isn't home, and after heating up some leftovers, I spend some time with Alice on the phone as she walks me through what to wear. When I tell her that she needs to go buy some new undies, she seems excited by the prospect and tries to get me to come with her. After twenty minutes of listening to her extol the virtues of "Vicki's Secret," as she calls it, I relent, and by six o'clock I'm sitting next to her as she drives us to our local mall.

"Think of it this way," she explains. "Now you won't feel so bad about what you said to Jasper. It's not a total lie now. You know?"

How one person can be so bubbly and happy all the time is beyond me. But, she's right, so I roll with it, although I make Alice promise that we'll only go to Victoria's Secret and nowhere else. It takes her a few minutes of hemming and hawing, but she finally agrees. The minute we step inside the store, all of my senses are assaulted. The mass amount of pink is almost unreal, and the place smells like a big vat of potpourri. We head to the undie section, and Alice squeals when she sees her favorite style is on sale; five undies for thirty dollars.

"Cheekies?" I ask, eyeballing the tag.

"Yup. The name's kinda silly, but they are super comfy. Plus, they make my butt look pretty fabulous," Alice explains as she holds one up in leopard print.

I shift around, wondering if my plain white cotton Hanes Her Way bikini briefs make my butt look pretty fabulous too. I'm pretty certain they don't. I pick up one of the cheekies and inspect it cautously, as if I might catch something from it. It seems pretty harmless. It actually almost looks like it covers more skin than my bikini cut ones. But these aren't plain white cotton, oh no. Some are silky, others have a sheer material bordered in lace, and some have tiny bows right where your ass crack would be. Alice sees me checking them out and slides on over.

"You know, since they're five for thirty, you can just get one pair and put it together with the ones I get. I probably could stand to only get four new ones."

I pick up one that is pale purple and has a trim of pink lace, figuring one pair won't be all that bad, and it's only going to be six dollars. It might be the perfect thing to wear under my clothes for my date, too...

"Sure," I say with a grin. "Why not?"

Alice claps her hands excitedly and tosses them in the bag she's already got going. I let her roam the rest of the store, and thirty minutes later, we're headed back home. I'm able to get back in the house and shove the new undies in the back of my drawer before Charlie makes it home, which relieves me. There is no need for him to know about my new cheekies.

The rest of the week seems to move at a snail's pace, and I think it's because I'm looking forward to Friday night with so much enthusiasm. Edward still won't tell me where he's taking me, so with Alice's help, I come up with an outfit that should be okay most any place. I pull out the outfit and toss it on my bed, giving it a once over. It's nothing spectacular, but hopefully Edward will like it. Alice has given me a pair of wildly striped tights, but worn with my jean skirt and a ice blue sweater, they actually seem to work. A quick glance at the clock shows I only have twenty minutes left to get ready. I stand in front of my dresser drawer for ten of those minutes debating on whether or not I should wear the new undies. I finally decide to just do it and rip the tag off pulling them on.

Despite having more fabric to them, I'm shocked at how they ride up my butt, and I almost feel like I have a wedgie. With only a few minutes to spare, I decide that they'll be fine and quickly pull on my tights, skirt and top. Just as I finish putting some barrettes in my hair, I hear Edward knock at the door. I run down the stairs, grab my bag and coat, and shout a good bye to Charlie. He looks at me like he wants to say something, but he ends up coughing and just waving his hand, telling me to have a good time and to make sure I'm not back too late.

"Oh, and Bells?" he stops me, just as I'm about to open the door.

"Yeah?"

"You look nice, kid."

I run back and give him a quick kiss on his scruffy cheek before dashing over to the door. Edward barely gets out a hello to Charlie before I whisk him outside.

"So!" I say, bubbling over with excitement. "Where are we going?"

Edward slows his gait and pulls me towards him, pressing a kiss into my hair.

"And hello to you, too."

I roll my eyes and poke him through his jacket.

"Relax," he grins. "We'll be there soon enough."

We drive into Port Angeles, and I wonder which of the few romantic restaurants here Jasper has suggested. We finally pull into a parking lot, and I look up at the green and white striped awning that proclaims in big black letters, "Chotchkie's!"

"Chotchkie's?" I ask, wondering if maybe he just had to stop here to pick something up or adjust his seat belt or something.

"Yup," Edward says with a proud grin.

_Oh._ This is actually where our date is going to take place... at a chain restaurant geared towards families and people looking for a bargain on their burger. _Great. _I mentally curse Jasper for being such an idiot to think that this would actually be a good suggestion. I make myself remember to call Alice and tell her _not_ to wear her new undies for Jasper because he sure as hell does not deserve them. After I enjoy my pity party for one, I snap myself out of my mini-funk. I'm still here, on a date with Edward, and despite the iffy choice in restaurant, I am sure as hell going to enjoy myself.

"Looks great," I say with the biggest smile I can muster.

Edward still looks like he won the gold medal in the spelling bee, and I really don't have the heart to tell him I was expecting something else. As we enter the place, I let him go in front of me, so I can discreetly stick my hand down my tights to adjust my undies which have ridden up my ass crack. This night is turning out to be awesome. After waiting for twenty minutes, we're finally seated, and a waitress shows up with menus a few seconds later. She's cute but has a bunch of crap pinned to her suspenders.

"Hi," she says, and it seems like she's chewing gum.

I look up at her expectantly and wonder if she's going to say anything else. Instead she just stares at us like we should know what comes next. A man with an obscene amount of pins and flair walks by and clears his throat, causing the waitress to roll her eyes and speak some more.

"Welcome to Chotchkie's," she forces out in a bored tone. "My name is Joanna, and I'll be your waitress."

She talks for a bit about nothing in particular, then leaves us to it, and I begin to look over the menu. To be fair, they have a bunch of tasty stuff on there, and after five minutes I decide on the grilled chicken sandwich. I'm about to start talking to Edward, because I'm sort of excited that we're out on this date and can have a moment to talk, just us. But before I'm able to, Joanna is back, pad and pen in hand, waiting to take our order. Edward nods at me, letting me go first, and I love that he's being a total gentleman. It's kind of hot.

"I'll have the grilled chicken sandwich and a glass of lemonade."

Joanna jots this down and then turns to Edward.

"I'll start with the onion ring appetizer for the table," he says, as if there are more than two people sitting here. "Then, I'll have the Black and Blue Burger, medium."

I realize that Edward intends to share the onion rings with me, and while I love them, I don't really want to have onion breath that might impede on whatever we're going to do later. Thinking fast, I grab Joanna before she leaves, changing my lemonade to a mint iced tea. Hopefully the mintiness of the iced tea will help counteract the stinky onion factor. Finally, we're left alone, just the two of us. The only noise is the screaming of a kid coming from a booth nearby and the low hum of one of the neon signs perched above us.

"So..." I start, wondering why I'm suddenly so nervous. "This is nice."

Edward nods his head and scoots closer, so he's closer to me and can speak without having to shout.

"Thanks for coming. I...I wasn't sure what you'd like, but I wanted to do something nice. Jasper said this place was pretty cool, but now I'm not so sure..." he trails off as he looks around the place, really taking it all in.

I don't want Edward to feel bad, because the reality is that regardless of where we are, it's just really nice to have some time with him. Hell, we could be splitting a Happy Meal at McDonald's for all I care, and it would be fine. I reach across to grab his hand, which causes him to look up at me.

"Really, it's fine. I hear they have awesome onion rings," I say, hopefully reassuring Edward.

He barks out a laugh, and I look at him funny.

"Oh, that's what Jasper said. He said he was here once with Aro and they had the most hysterical waiter. The guy was just super excited and into it and kept going on and on about how the onion rings were 'super bangin' and they couldn't stop laughing. But then they ordered them and they really were good."

I snicker at the story, imagining that the boys were probably pretty high at the time and hearing the phrase 'super bangin' probably set them off into a fit of giggles. Before I can respond, Joanna is back and unceremoniously plops a plate of steaming, crispy onion rings right between us, forcing me to pull my hand away from Edward's.

"Mmm...they do look good," he nods, licking his lips.

The slight glimpse of pink that peaks out before it trails across his plump lip mesmerizes me, and I can only nod stupidly. Edward picks up an onion ring and blows on it carefully to ensure it isn't too hot. He brings it up to his lips, about to eat it, when he stops suddenly. He reaches across to me and places it at my lips.

"Open," he orders softly.

Too stunned to say no, I part my lips and flick out my tongue, tasting the salty goodness. I wrap my lips around the onion ring, biting off half of it. Edward snatches the other half off and pops it into his mouth in one bite. I sit there, watching as he chews, realizing that eating onion rings can be kind of sexy. _Who knew?_ As the oniony taste explodes in my mouth, I look around frantically for my mint iced tea to help balance out the taste, but I realize it hasn't been delivered yet.

Edward asks me how I like it, but I'm nervous about opening my mouth to answer for fear of the dreaded onion breath. I just smile widely, while keeping my lips shut and reach for another one, this time dipping it in the accompanying ranch dressing. Yum. Thankfully Joanna is back at the table with our drinks, and I nod my head in thanks while gulping down the iced tea. While Edward is busy digging into the onion rings, I bend my head slightly and pretend to cough but actually do a little sniff test of my breath. It's not too bad.

I eat a few more onion rings, sniffing my breath occasionally until I'm confident that I'm fine.

"Are you okay?" Edward asks, looking concerned.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine, why?"

"Oh, you were coughing a lot. I just hoped you weren't coming down with something."

I want to slap myself on the forehead, I feel like such a dork. All my little cough-sniffs must have looked ridiculously dorky. Oh well, he'll forgive me later when I don't have onion breath. I wave him off and let him know I'm fine. Our food arrives then, so for the next twenty minutes or so we're busy stuffing our faces. My sandwich actually ends up being pretty good, and the bite I have of Edward's burger isn't half bad either. We decline dessert, and Joanna comes back with the check. Edward refuses to even let me offer to pay, and I thank him profusely for treating me to dinner. He shrugs it off and grabs my hand as we walk out to the parking lot.

Instead of heading right to the car, Edward pulls me away and starts walking down the street. I know there's no use asking what we're going to do, so I just roll with it and am happy to see that he walks us to the Tastee-Freeze. I have a huge love for soft serve, and Edward knows this. Despite it being pretty chilly, we get in line and soon walk away carrying cones of deliciousness. Edward gets chocolate with sprinkles, and I get chocolate-vanilla swirl.

I make my way to the picnic benches they have out front, but Edward pulls me away and whispers, "Follow me."

So, of course...I do.

After walking a couple of blocks, we enter the local playground. I giggle to myself, remembering how I had hatched a plan to drag Edward to the playground to make out before he had distracted me with the notion of an actual date.

"What's so funny?" he asks, and I debate explaining myself but just shake my head and slowly walk towards the swings.

We sit on the swings, slowly moving back and forth as we eat our ice cream. I lap all around the edges, ensuring it doesn't drip onto me as I enjoy the delicious treat. I look over at Edward, shocked to see him already chomping on his cone.

"You're a slow eater," he observes, and I laugh.

"No, you just inhale your food. I like to savor it."

Edward snorts in response then shoves the rest of it in his mouth. I see him fiddling around in his pocket, and I wonder what he's doing. He pulls out a red lighter and a cigarette. He lights it and takes a long drag, blowing out the smoke away from me. It's then that I realize it's not actually a cigarette but a joint. The sweet smell of the smoke drifts towards me as the wind changes course.

"Really?" I ask, my eyes wide. "You're smoking at a children's park?"

Edward laughs, coughing out some smoke.

"Bella, it's eight o'clock," he says. "I'd hope most kids are home by now, asleep in their beds."

I roll my eyes at his bravado, then hold out my hand for the joint. I take a small hit before passing it back, enjoying the soothing effect it has on me. I end up devouring the rest of my ice cream quickly, causing my to shiver from the brain freeze I give myself. Edward holds his hand out to me, so I walk over, threading my legs through the swing, straddling him. After stubbing out the joint, he pockets the roach before turning his attention to me. Edward wraps his jacket around my shoulders, pulling me in close. The tips of my fingers feel cold and tingly so I snuggle in closer, absorbing his warmth.

"Thanks," I whisper into his chest.

"You're welcome," he replies, burying his face in my hair.

"No..." I try and make it clearer. "Thanks for everything, for tonight. For dinner, for the ice cream, for now. Thank you."

He hugs me closer, and I pull at his shirt, lining my face up with his. My arms wrap through his jacket and around his chest so we're as close as two people can get while sitting atop a swing. Our lips are almost touching, yet neither of us makes the first move. Then, Edward pushes his feet off the ground, propelling us forward and causing me to fall into him. My lips crash into his, and after the initial surprise, I take advantage of it and start kissing him. He kisses me back and soon his tongue slips into my mouth, urging my own to come out to play. He tastes like chocolate ice cream, and I can't seem to get enough.

Our kisses turn more heated, and I let a moan escape as his lips move down my jaw, nipping at my neck. I grip him tightly, rocking my lower body slightly. It's Edward's turn to groan as I make contact with the firm bulge in his pants. My hands move to trail down his chest, and I run my finger right across the skin below the waistband of his jeans. Edward's hands move lower, cupping my ass, and I wriggle around as I realize I have another damn wedgie from the cheekies. I'm about to whisper to Edward about the saucy new pair of undies I have on, so they're not for nothing, but then we're rudely interrupted.

"Get a room!" somebody shouts, breaking us out of our haze.

I try to scramble off Edward, but he holds me tight, not letting me go. I bury my head in his chest, my embarrassment fanning across my face in heated strokes. We sit, catching our breaths for a few minutes before finally getting up and heading back to the car hand in hand. We debate going to see a movie, but after the big meal and then smoking, I'm actually kind of tired. After a few yawns, Edward makes the executive decision to take me home. We sit in my driveway, sharing soft kisses until the porch light turns on. I pull back from Edward after giving him one last kiss.

"Charlie," I explain with a roll of my eyes.

Edward grins as he shakes his head.

"It's cool," he supplies, shrugging his shoulders.

I lean over and give him a huge hug before whispering one more thanks into his ear. I walk back towards the house, trying my best to give him a good view, but desperately wanting to rip the damn cheekies from my ass crack, where they've been lodged most of the night. When I reach the door, I turn around to wave at Edward and catch him staring right at me. I smile so wide my cheeks hurt and wiggle my fingers at him while mouthing 'bye.' He honks the horn once and backs out, leaving. I stand at the door for a moment, and after pulling out my wedgie, I lick my lips, enjoying the faint taste of chocolate that remains.

* * *

**A/N: **:D

So...I kind of painted myself into a corner with the whole "Director & a snack" theme for chapter titles, and have been working on ways of including movie references without always stuffing the chapter full of movie talk (which I love, but figure y'all could use a break). So, I tried to weave in the movie reference differently this time. Did you get it? ;) **  
**

Oh! I forgot to mention...In exciting news, my one-shot, **Inhale Her**, won 3rd place in the Judge's Vote for the Awkward Contest. You can check out my profile for the sweet banner **AngstGoddess003** made me! Also...I'll prob be at least writing a Part II (if not more...) for it as well!


	9. Landis & Pizza

**A/N:** Big thanks to all you fabby fab people reading, alerting, fav-ing, reviewing... I'm still blown away. You all own a piece of my heart :D

For those who didn't catch it, on 4/20 I posted a special Stonerward POV of chapter 1 in a separate fic called "**Director's Cut**" - where I'll include EPOVs, outtakes, etc... In fact, I was toying with doing another EPOV when the fic reaches 420 reviews (b/c clearly, how much more of a stoner can I be? *snort*)

I need to thank two of my fav h00rs for helping out on this chap. **Lexiecullen17** and **HunterHunting** help tame this chapter into something readable. I heart you both.

A fair warning - there's a smidge of angst ahead. Now, I'm a total wussperv, so really, it's not like crazy angst, just your average teen emodramz. However, Char got a bit heartfaily (while Gin was all, pshaw, this is nothing!) so, I figure it can't hurt to toss a warning out there.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high.

* * *

I trudge towards Banner's class, missing Edward's comforting presence by my side. I'm not surprised he doesn't make it in time to walk me to class. We both have been bombarded with exams all day. Why every single teacher thought it would be a good idea to give us tests and quizzes right before Thanksgiving break is beyond me. They must all sit around in their fancy teacher's lounge, conspiring the best way to stress us out. I only have one more to get through, but at least it's just a quiz. Banner is semi-thoughtful in that regard. Just as I reach the door to class, I feel a hand grip my shoulder from behind. Spinning around, I see Edward standing there looking slightly worse for wear.

I pull him in for a hug, inhaling the familiar mixture of minty tobacco that I've come to love.

"Hey, how's it going?"

Edward groans in response and shakes his head.

"At least I don't think I've failed any. So, that's good," he says as he hugs me back tightly.

The bell rings right then, so we shuffle into class. Banner hands out the quizzes quickly, and the room quiets down except for the occasional cough as we get down to it. This one isn't actually half bad, and at least I'm not writing long answers like on the English essay test I had earlier. My hand is still killing from delving into the role that fate played in _Romeo & Juliet_; although, I'm pretty sure I kicked ass on it. I rush through this quiz, then backtrack once to reread my answers. Finally happy with them, I walk up to hand it in, earning a smile from Banner.

As I walk back to my desk, my skin breaks out in goosebumps when Edward's hand reaches out and caresses mine I want to give him a big old smooch, but I figure that would probably be frowned upon by Banner...especially during a quiz. Instead, I rest my head on my arms and wait till everyone else is finished, and I am pleased that Banner decides to show us a movie for the rest of class. I do my best to pay attention but find myself zoning out for most of it. When the bell rings, Banner calls out to us as we walk out the door.

"Seniors! Don't forget that you have an assembly instead of eighth period today. Please report directly to the auditorium."

I groan, kind of pissed that I'll be missing the one class of the day in which I don't have a test. However, when I realize that I get to spend more time with Edward, I brighten up. I grasp his hand, and we head towards the auditorium, filing in with the other students. Jasper is already there and waves us over to a section in the back where Aro and Marcus are sitting. I notice that Sully is sitting next to Aro and give her a wave, happy that she and Aro are still together or whatever. Edward and I settle into our seats with Jasper sitting to my right. He leans right over me, like I'm not even there, to talk to Edward. Why he can't just sit next to him, I have no idea.

"Dude, what's this for again? Do you think anyone would notice if we just bail?"

Unfortunately, Jasper forgot to turn his volume down, and Mr. Ateara walks by right at that moment.

"Yes, Mr. Whitlock. I think somebody would notice. Now please sit down and pay attention."

Jasper rolls his eyes but sits back in his seat. Mr. Ateara decides to hang around just a bit, and when he finally walks away, I notice that he's positioned himself near the closest exit.

"Whatever," Jasper huffs. "What do they have us corralled in here for anyway?"

I shrug because I'm not sure, and Edward seems just as clueless as me. Aro leans over to fill us in, since apparently he pays attention.

"It's some sort of panel on post-high school options. They get a bunch of kids who graduated from here to come back during their Thanksgiving break to share their experiences. It could be cool..." he trails off.

"Or it could be a real drag," Marcus pipes in, and we all laugh.

"Yeah," Jasper groans. "I definitely should have been high for this."

For all his snarky attitude, I actually know that Jasper has the whole college thing in the bag already. He may give off a laid back, I-don't-care 'tude, but the truth is, he applied early and got accepted into NYU. I only know this because Alice told me. Jasper is apparently not broadcasting his smarts. It does, however, make me wonder about Edward and his post-high school plans. We haven't really discussed it at all. As if knowing that I'm starting to get all anxious, Edward reaches over and grabs my hand, rubbing slow circles against my palm. It soothes me briefly, until my attention is pulled away by a noise down in front.

Our vice principal, Mr. Jenks, is at the podium down in front, trying to get the room to quite down. When it finally does, he speaks into the microphone, eliciting a piercing shriek. Everyone shouts out or covers their ears in response and it's back to pandemonium in the auditorium again. A tech from A/V runs down to fix this issue and then after another couple minutes of trying to calm us down, Mr. Jenks attempts to speak again.

"Hello, class of 2010!"

We all cheer and clap, realizing how close we are to becoming high school graduates.

"We've brought you here together for this special assembly because the next few months are going to be extremely important in your young lives. You need to decide what will be waiting for you once you graduate. Will you go on to attend a four year university? Will you choose a local college or one far away? Perhaps you'd prefer a stint in the military first?"

His little introduction is interrupted by a few kids in the audience who start booing. After they finally stop, Mr. Jenks continues.

"There are many different paths for you to look at once you graduate, and we're here to help you find which one will be the best fit for you. To aid in that mission, we've put together a panel of recent graduates. They're here to share their stories with you in hopes of inspiring or enlightening you."

While Mr. Jenks continues his little speech, I start thinking about my own stuff. Charlie has been dropping hints about college for a while now, and it's not like I'm surprised. I took the SATs last year and scored fairly well, especially on the writing and reading parts. Despite my earlier grumbling about the English essay test, I really do enjoy writing, and my guidance counselor, Mrs. Bree, suggests that I look into a few schools with strong creative writing and journalist programs. For once, I don't scoff at her opinion and am looking into a few schools spread out across the country. Thankfully, most of them use the common application, so I can get it over with at once, and somehow, I have already written half of my admissions essay. I just need to finish dealing with all the paperwork. Thinking of it just makes my head spin, and I wish I didn't have to deal with all this real life stuff and could just snuggle under my covers with a juice box and take nap.

Instead, I have to deal with Jasper snorting next to me as he jostles around in his chair, elbowing me by accident.

"What the hell, Jasper?" I ask, rubbing my arm.

"Dude!" he exclaims, pointing at the stage. "Look! It's Tanya. Oooh, Eddie, watch out. She might try and sink her claws into you again. Apparently once isn't enough for that girl!"

Jasper erupts into more laughter as I look down at the stage. Sitting in one of the chairs is, in fact, Tanya, that annoying chick from the coffee shop. I look over at Edward, and he's looking anywhere but at me. I can feel my heart drop into my stomach. Edward doesn't respond to Jasper or bother correcting him. Does that mean something actually happened between them? I think back, trying to remember what he said to me about her when I first met her. I realize he only said he knows her from those guitar classes but not how _well _he knows her.

"I wonder what she's here for," I mumble, trying my best to be chill.

"She goes to the local community school," Sully whispers compassionately, seeing that I'm clearly cranky about seeing Tanya.

I can only hope that all we have to do is listen to her, and we can get out of there before she finds us, or rather, Edward. I pull my hand out of Edward's, not really sure why but just not feeling like I want to touch him right now. My stomach is in knots already thinking about college and what's going to happen when we graduate. Tanya's presence just makes it worse. When Edward leans in closer and stretches his arm around my shoulder, I pull back slightly so we're not touching. He finally looks at me, but I can't look at him. If I do, I know the tears that are lining my eyes will spill over.

I'm pretty sure I don't have a rational reason for getting all upset in the last few minutes. Nothing is different from what it was ten minutes ago, but I still feel crappy. Maybe I'm getting my period. I can blame this on PMS, right? I figure everything will be fine if I can just make it through this stupid assembly and then we can hang out, get high and order pizza. Pizza fixes everything. And maybe some garlic knots, too.

Edward either has no idea that I need some space right now or just has some fucked up desire to make this situation even more uncomfortable and starts rubbing the back of my neck. I pull away, glancing at him briefly.

"Would you stop? I'm trying to listen!"

Before he can respond, I turn back and focus on the stage. I actually do my best to listen, and it's sort of interesting. There's one guy who's currently going to UCLA for international politics, but before that, he spent a year living abroad in Ecuador in some program. Traveling for a year actually sounds kind of neat, but I doubt Charlie would see it that way. Everyone else shares their stories, and to be honest, it sounds like college will be a lot of fun. I'm excited to be in a place where I can finally study what I want. Not only that, but I'll also be with other people who will share my passion for writing and not think I'm a dork just because I like to read.

Of course, then, as I listen some more, one of the panelists mentions the Fraternity system. A bunch of kids whoop and holler at the notion, but I just recoil into my seat. It doesn't help that Tanya starts to prattle on about sororities, and even thought I'm pretty certain that community colleges don't have those sorts of things, it still pisses me off. I wonder if whatever college Edward ends up at will have a ton of sororities. I'm going to drive myself crazy not only obsessing over the slutty ghosts of Edward's past but the possible new slutty ones to come in his future.

Eventually, the auditorium breaks out in applause, and I realize that the panel is over. I've spent the last twenty minutes in my own head, freaking myself out over everything and nothing. I'm still not even sure _why_ I'm upset, but I just know it hurts really bad, and I'm still on the verge of crying. I rush home, blowing off the guys. I make up some story about forgetting that I have to go to the store for some last minute Thanksgiving items. They seem to buy it and all shout their goodbyes. Edward just stares at me strangely before finally waving as I zip out of the parking lot. When I'm finally alone, the hot tears roll down my face, and I don't care enough to bother wipe them away. Soon, my vision becomes too cloudy to see clearly, so I pull over onto the side of the road and just allow myself this moment.

The tears keep coming and my nose starts getting all stuffed with snot as I let it all out. Awful images keep flashing through my mind...Edward and Tanya having sex...Edward and some faceless girl having sex... I feel my stomach lurch at the thoughts but somehow suppress the urge to puke. Finally getting it together, I make it home quickly and take a hot shower, trying to wash away my sadness. I'm still in my funk, however, later that evening when my phone rings.

_Alice._

I pick it up, figuring, if anything, she can distract me from my crazy.

"Hey."

"Hey, yourself," she says, and I can't help but smile. "What's wrong?"

How she knows I'm upset is beyond me, but I've learned not to question Alice and just roll with it.

"Nothing, why?"

"Don't play that shit with me, Bella Swan. One, I can hear the emo in your voice, and it's not attractive. Two, Jasper called."

I startle at that revelation, wondering if I had been so depressed at the assembly that even clueless Jasper seemed to have picked up on in.

"Huh? What'd he say?" I ask, hoping Alice will just spill.

Thankfully, it doesn't take much to prod Alice into talking, and soon she's giving me the whole story.

"I guess he and Edward hung out after school, and Edward told Jasper that you were acting weird but he didn't know why. Jasper said he'd ask me if I knew anything. Of course, I had no idea, so here I am, calling you to find out what the hell is up."

I shake my head, slightly amused at how Alice's phone call came to be.

"So, what's up, buttercup?"

I sigh, wondering how much of this I should explain to Alice, but once I start, it's like I can't shut up, and it all comes pouring out. I explain to her how the realization of college just hit me, despite having it shoved in my face for the last few months. I also share that it made me realize that I have no clue what will happen with me and Edward once we graduate, and that scares the crap out of me. I know we're young and haven't been together long, but it's been really, really great so far, and I just don't want to see it ruined. Then, between tears, I tell her about Tanya and how she's the icing on my fucking crazy-cake. I'm certain Tanya somehow turned me into a jealous witch that has hallucinations of other girls with my boyfriend and that of course Edward will want them because, hell, I haven't even had sex yet, and why the fuck would he want a virgin like me?

Miraculously, Alice manages to calm me down after my breathless tirade. She says all the right things and reminds me that Edward is with me, not Tanya, and that if he wanted to be with somebody else, he would be, but he's not. I shrug, even though she can't see me, and admit she's right. Alice also promises me that we'll get together for a girls' night during our upcoming winter break, and she'll school me in the ways of, as she calls them, feminine wiles. I roll my eyes, glad she can't see me this time, and tell her that sounds fab, even though it sounds absolutely terrifying.

The next day at school, I'm exhausted. Despite Alice's calming words, my sleep sucked, so I drag myself around for most of the day. Thankfully, it's only a half day, however. Edward looks at me warily as he walks me from class to class, and I know we should probably have some sort of talk, but I'm not certain I have the energy for that at the moment. Before we walk into Banner's class, he pulls me aside and hugs me tightly. The feel of his arms around me makes me melt, and for a moment, things feel normal again.

"Are you coming to the Hood after? I can always follow you to your house, and then we can drive over together?"

I nod, letting him know that sounds great. We watch the rest of the movie we started yesterday in class, and then I head to photography, where we just sit around and talk. There's not enough time to develop film or head out to take pictures with the shortened period. Jasper and I hang out and bullshit for a bit before I venture into an untouched subject between us.

"So...next year..." I start, not really sure how to broach this topic.

"Uh huh," he prompts me, and I just go for it.

"Well, you're going to NYC, right?" I ask and Jasper nods in confirmation. "So...what about you and Alice?"

I realize that I could have just asked Alice this last night, but I was so wrapped up in my own head that I didn't even think to do so. Jasper looks at me thoughtfully and answers quickly.

"Oh, she's applying mostly to fashion schools in New York. She's really hoping to get into Parson's, and with her awesome skills, I doubt that will be a problem. So, yeah...should be cool."

He shrugs it off like it's no big thing, and I can't believe he's so relaxed about it.

"That's it? What if she doesn't get in? What if she decides to go to school in California? What if..."

Before I'm able to come up with eighteen more catastrophic scenarios, Jasper interrupts me.

"Swan...what if, what if, what if. We can't let that rule our lives. You just need to roll with the pieces and let them fall where they flow."

I'm pretty sure he's mixing up metaphors, but his serene attitude is contagious, and after a while, I find myself relaxing a bit more. We switch topics and start discussing a new CD that just came out that we both dig. I wonder if it's as easy as Jasper suggests and do my best to practice rolling with the flow.

I soon discover it's not so easy.

We head to the Hood after school, and riding alone with Edward in his car is fun. Despite it being kind of chilly out, the sun is shining so Edward rolls down the windows and blasts some Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros while we smoke our cigs, making sure not to let the ash fly back into the car. Holding Edward's hand, I smile as we walk towards the decrepit shack in the back of Aro's house. Before we head in, Edward pulls me towards him, planting a forceful kiss on my lips. I gasp but then kiss him back just as fiercely, letting my fear and confusion out along with it.

I'm flushed as we walk in, and I smile as I'm hit by the skunky smell wafting through the small space.

"Just in time!" shouts Jasper, as he grins, staring at us.

Edward heads over and rips a pull from the packed bong, and I find my cozy spot on the couch. There are already two pizzas waiting for us, which makes me happy, and I grab a slice, realizing just how hungry I am. While Edward is busy with the bong, Aro passes me a joint, and I take a quick hit, not wanting to indulge too much. It hits the spot though, and soon I'm feeling even more relaxed. I'm half way through my slice when Edward jumps onto the couch from behind me, snuggling up close. In between a bite, he leans in and kisses me.

"Mmm...spicy," he laughs.

I laugh along with him and snuggle closer, moving slightly when he reaches over to grab his own slice of pizza. Soon, we're all sitting on the couch or the chairs, perfectly stoned with full bellies, and Aro suggests we watch a movie.

"_Animal House_!!" shouts Marcus as he shoves a DVD in.

"Toga! Toga! Toga!" chants Jasper, clearly excited.

I roll my eyes and groan, completely over the college thing by now. I've done so well in moving past that shit, but watching a movie about college is most likely going to undo all of that. I know I can't hide from it completely, but I can ignore it as long as possible... right? However, since all the guys seem into it, I just shove another piece of pizza into my mouth and shut up. If I'm going to be subjected to a college flick, at least it's not something awful, like _Sorority Row _or _House Bunny_. I gag at the returning thought of Edward away at college, surrounded by boobilicious sorority chicks with come-hither eyes and too-tight sweaters. Needing to cool off, I reach for my soda can and inadvertently brush against Edward's fingers.

"Oh, sorry," I mumble, pulling them away immediately.

Edward looks at me, concern clouding his eyes, and it thaws me a bit. If Alice were here, she'd slap me out of this funk so fast my head would be spinning, but unfortunately she's not, so I have to deal with it myself. I shrug Edward off, not wanting to delve into it all at the moment in front of all our friends. He shakes his head, though, like he won't let it go.

"Come outside with me for a cig."

A post-pizza cigarette does sound good, and it's cold enough that we won't be out there too long, so I relent and follow him outside. Instead of standing against the shack, Edward pulls my hand towards his car. Soon, we're both sitting in the back seat, a wool blanket covering our legs, with the windows slightly cracked open.

"I thought this would be more comfortable," he shrugs.

"It is, thanks."

He lights my cigarette first before lighting his own. After taking a deep drag, he blows the smoke out the window before turning to face me.

"Bella, what the fuck is going on?"

I blink, startled by his abrupt, completely un-Edward-like question. Before I'm able to brush the question off, however, Edward pushes on, and I realize we're going to have this talk now. He uses his other hand to rub his eyes before continuing.

"Ever since yesterday you've been all mopey and shit, and you won't let me touch you really. It's bugging me out, and I can't figure out why you're upset, and did I do something wrong?"

He spits this all out in one breath and just looks at me sadly.  
_  
Fuck._

"You didn't do anything wrong, Edward," I whisper, not having balls to speak any louder.

I take a few drags of my cigarette, buying some time.

"I'm just...I don't know what to do."

And it's the truth. In the span of two days, I feel like I've had to deal with more shit than ever before. How did this happen? I need to figure out college crap, I can't get images of my boyfriend and some trashy ho out of my head, and who the hell knows what's going to happen next year. It's way too much for me to process at the moment, and it feels like it's pressing heavily on my chest.

"About what?" Edward asks, breaking me out of my near panic attack. "Talk to me, Bella. That's what I'm here for."

Hearing him say that helps calm me down, and when he reaches out to grab my hand, I give it to him, relishing the contact of his rough fingers against my hand. Instead of answering him, I decide to ask Edward a question.

"What are your plans for next year?"

I scoot closer to him so eventually I'm sitting between his legs, my back resting against his chest. I can feel his heart beating as his chest rises and falls while he comes up with an answer.

"College. Not sure for what. I kinda dig Bio, so maybe something with that..." he trails off as I snort. "Why?"

"Doesn't it all feel too much sometimes? Like...we've only been in high school for four years. And sometimes, that feels like forever. Like I can't wait to break out of this place, you know? I just want to graduate and move away from Forks and start my life somewhere totally bad ass and stuff."

It doesn't escape my attention that Edward's hand snakes around my waist, pulling me closer as I say this.

"Then sometimes... sometimes I get so scared." My voice gets quieter with this admission. "What if I choose the wrong school? What if it's too far away? What if I don't know anybody?"

I stop talking to finish off my cigarette, taking one last puff before tossing it behind me out the open window. Edward does the same, then threads his other arm around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder.

"Truth?" he asks, and I nod eagerly.

"Truth."

"I have no fucking clue," he says with a laugh, and I can't help but snicker as well. "At least we'll be clueless together, though."

My heart tightens for a brief second, wondering if he means like together-together, after we graduate.

"We'll figure it out, Bella," he says softly into my hair, as if he can read my mind. And with those words, I somehow realize that it will all work out as it should.

There's just one thing still scratching at the back of my mind, and I'm not sure how to bring it up. But I figure since we're having this little heart to heart, I might as well just spill it.

"Edward?"

"Mmhmm..." he responds as he shifts to get more comfortable.

"Can I ask you something without it being weird?" and just by asking that question, I know it's going to get weird. _Shit._

"Sure," he says, and he sounds kind of sleepy. I wonder how much he's smoked.

"What's the story with Tanya? I mean, I know you must have been with girls before me or had girlfriends or whatever, and I shouldn't care. But...I do. I guess. I just..." I trail off, not even sure what the fuck I'm saying anymore.

Thankfully, Edward seems to get it and hugs me closer.

"Bella," he says, as he rubs my arms up and down. "I told you. Tanya was just some chick in my guitar class. We went out on a date, but it was just...it wasn't good."

I can feel him shaking his head behind me, and while I'm glad to know they didn't officially date or anything, I need to ask him, or I'll continue to have horrifying visions.

"Did you two..." I don't finish my question, hoping he can just fill in in the blanks on his own.

"What?" Edward asks, sounding surprised. "Oh! No! Fuck...no!"

I feel him shudder, and I hope it's in disgust. I giggle, unable to contain my delight in this revelation. None of my problems are really solved, but somehow, in the backseat of Edward's car, amidst cigarettes and wool blankets, things get a bit easier.

* * *

**A/N: **If you're feeling kinda emo after that, go check out Stonerward's POV of chap 1- it'll put a smile on your face.


	10. Yeaworth & Mall Food

**A/N: **Thanks again for stopping by and reading along!

The Hood has gotten over 420 reviews, and my little stoner heart couldn't be happier. In celebration of that, I have agreed to do another EPOV/outtake. There is a poll up on my profile so you can vote for what EPOV you would like to see. I'll leave the poll up for another couple of days before starting on the outtake. Last I checked there was a tie, so go vote!!

Big thanks as always to my master-beta **Lexiecullen17**. She puts up with all my insanely awful mistakes and makes this shiz sparkle like an emo vamp. Thanks also to **HunterHunting** for prereading this and sprinkling her hysterically enjoyable comments all over it. It almost physically pains me when I need to delete them so I can post the chaps. sigh. Oh! and a special thanks to my partner in crime, **Laraisawkward** who came out of her school imposed hibernation to preread as well. I heart them all so much.

Also - the awesome** Linzzer220** is hosting a read-a-long of The Hood on 5/10 over on Twitter. I'm sure I'll update before then and will toss out another reminder - but just wanted to get it out there so I don't forget (you know how those smoke filled minds tend to be a bit forgetful, ha!). Thanks so much girl! xo

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own any of these characters, I just enjoy getting them high...**  


* * *

**Thanksgiving break goes by fast. It's filled with lots of food, stupid football games that make Charlie happy, and a few more hangouts at the Hood. One time, we all sit around eating an amazing turkey pot pie that Aro's mom made with leftovers. The boys can't stop laughing over the word "pot," and I just roll my eyes, and savor the flaky treat. Edward and I seem to be back to normal...whatever the hell that is. Anytime his fingers touch my skin, I get this delicious buzz all over my body, and the moment his lips meet mine, the damn twingles start up again. I'm really enjoying the twingles. The mini-break from school isn't all tasty snacks and stolen kisses with my boyfriend, however. While I somehow manage to avoid the Black Friday sales with Alice, she still finagles me into some shopping on the Sunday before we head back to school. Despite bracing myself for the shopping extravaganza I know is to come, I clearly am not prepared for how awkward it can get.

"So, weren't the cheekie's awesome? Did Edward love them?" she asks as she tears through the racks of Macy's for something worthwhile.

"Oh, um...yeah?" I sputter out, knowing that I actually really hated them but don't want to hurt Alice's feelings.

"Yeah, they were awesome? Or yeah, Edward loved them?" she asks, trying to get clarification.

"They were kind of awesome, I guess..." I mumble, trailing off. "..you know, when they weren't wedged up my ass."

"What?" Alice calls out, popping her head out from a pile of clothes she's sorting through.

"They were great, Alice. But, um...Edward hasn't had a chance to see them yet."

She drops the shirt she's holding and looks up at me.

"Why not? Did he do something totally lame so you didn't want to put out?" she asks, shaking her head. "Ugh, that reminds me of this one time with Jasper when he thought it would be funny to start blowing raspberries on my belly, but then he started laughing because it reminded him of farts. And well, lets just say the mood was ruined, so I wasn't able to..."

"No, no, no!" I interrupt her, waving my hands for emphasis because, really, I don't want to know what was ruined.

Alice keeps talking though, and I instinctively cover up my ears, not really wanting to hear any details. I don't want to think of Jasper or Alice like that, and while I'm happy they apparently have a healthy sex life, I don't need a front row seat to it. At all. Although, I realize I'm kind of jealous, because at least they have some sort of sex life. Edward and I seem to have stalled. I debate asking Alice about it, but then I realize she'll probably bring up what she and Jasper do, and I'm just not ready to hear that. I can hopefully figure that stuff out on my own.

"I really don't want to hear about your sex life, Alice," I plead, hoping she'll shut up.

Alice looks up at me, her eyes crinkling as she bursts out laughing.

"What's so funny?" I ask, thinking that it seems perfectly normal to not want to hear about your friends' sexual exploits.

"Oh, Bella," Alice says with a shake of her head. "Come on."

She drops the clothes she's holding right there and grabs my hand, dragging me out of the store and towards the mall's food court. After piling a tray high with some french fries, an Orange Julius, two egg rolls and some fried rice, Alice steers me towards some seats somewhat apart from everyone else.

"So?" I ask while stuffing some fries in my mouth. "What's the deal?"

"I wasn't going to talk about my sex life in the middle of Macy's," Alice admonishes, and I blanch, not wanting to have this talk.

I especially don't want to have this talk as Alice starts wrapping her lips around her egg roll, making extremely questionable sounds. She finally finishes the damn thing and daintily wipes her lips and fingers with a napkin.

"Mmm...that was good. Okay, now where were we?"

_Damn._ Apparently this is going to happen, and I'm going to have to sit here and listen to Alice tell me all about her perfect sex life with Jasper. And I'm not even stoned.

"Oh, right," Alice continues as if I've answered her. "So, you were saying how you didn't want to hear about my sex life."

Alice starts laughing again, and I really wish she would clue me in on what's so freaking funny. She must notice my grumpy face because she stops laughing.

"Aw, don't get upset. I'm not laughing at you, Bella. I promise. I'm mostly laughing at me. This is sort of ridiculous. I..." she trails off before looking at me, her eyes suddenly hard and serious.

"I can trust you, Bella, can't I? I mean, I know I can. But...you won't judge me, right?"

I shake my head, reassuring her that she can tell me anything.

"Before Jasper and I met, I sort of had this reputation as well...a slut. I fucking hate that word because I wasn't really a slut. I just couldn't find a guy that I really clicked with, you know? But a girl's got needs...and so, I never had any problems filling them." She shrugs and looks down at her food.

"Alice, it's okay. I don't think you're a slut or whatever," I tell her.

She perks back up and looks at me, her face filled with hope.

"Thanks, Bella. I mean. I'm okay with the decisions I made. I...I'm not a virgin," she says quietly. "And I'm okay with that. And Jas knows too, and he...he's okay with it as well, even though..."

"Even though, what?" I ask, curious.

"Even though he's a virgin," she whispers quickly.

_Whoa. _Jasper's a virgin? I'm speechless. For some reason, I always assumed he's had a ton of sex. He's just so comfortable with himself, and when he's with Alice they're always so lovey dovey. I wonder if this means that Edward's also never had sex. That thought sort of relieves me and terrifies me at the same time, but now is not the time to dwell on it. Alice is looking at me, clearly needing to talk some more.

"So, anyway. Jasper's special. I know this, and I don't want to screw it up. We haven't actually done it. So, when you mentioned our sex life, I couldn't help but laugh. We don't really have one."

I let out a breath, happy to hear that my friend is in the same boat as me. Well, not so much happy as relieved. But before I can bask in it, Alice keeps talking, her face suddenly flushing.

"I mean, it's not like we don't do anything, though. I may be taking things slow with the whole sex thing, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun. There are tons of other ways to make each other feel good...really good. Jasper does this crazy things with his fingers that just make my toes curl, and I know he loves it when I blow..."

"STOP!" I shout, garnering a few concerned looks from random people nearby.

"I...I really don't need to hear that. I just...yeah. Please?" I beg, hoping Alice understands.

She chuckles before nodding her head. I take a soothing sip of Orange Julius as Alice begins speaking again.

"Sorry. I kind of have no filter when it comes to the whole TMI thing. But, promise me we'll have a girl's night soon, okay? We can talk more then."

I gulp, nodding my head to be polite but internally cringing at the thought. Thankfully, Alice's attention turns towards shopping, and soon we're back to sifting through stacks of clothes. After three more grueling hours of trolling the mall, I'm back home, fixing up some turkey-tortilla soup. I spend the rest of the night turning our leftovers into various meals, so that we'll just have to reheat stuff during the week. I get the rest of my homework out of the way and go to sleep early, completely exhausted from my whirlwind day with Alice. She's certainly given me plenty to think about.

Returning to school is a blessing and a curse all at once. I feel busier than ever, since teachers are trying to cram projects, papers and tests in before winter break hits us in a few weeks. On the flip side, I get to see Edward every single day, and that helps. I make it to the end of the week somehow, knowing that tonight I'm going over to Edward's after school to study and then have dinner. I may have overheard him tell Jasper that his parents have some sort of dinner date, so they won't be home, and my mind is in overdrive thinking about what we'll be doing, especially after my conversation with Alice earlier in the week. My overactive imagination is suddenly brought to a halt, however, by Mrs. Cope's loud voice.

"Don't forget to wear school colors next Monday in honor of spirit week. Show your pride through your clothes!" Mrs. Cope trills, reading the list of announcements during homeroom.

As much as I think homeroom is a giant waste of time, I'm lucky that my day starts off with Mrs. Cope. She doesn't mind if somebody uses the fifteen minutes to finish up an assignment, catch up on some sleep or chat quietly with friends, as long as well all stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance and listen to the daily announcements she needs to read. I zone out a bit while she runs down her list of supposedly important reminders and only perk up when she mentions something about an assembly.

"For all the seniors in here, please note that instead of first period, you will be reporting to the auditorium for a mandatory assembly. This assembly will last for two class periods, so afterwards you will head directly to third period. Please be on time, as the assembly will begin at first bell."

_Another assembly?_ A groan escapes my mouth as I remember the last one we had only a few weeks prior. I'm finally past my little trip to crazytown the previous assembly sent me on, and there's no need for a repeat. At. All. I wrack my brain, trying to remember what the heck this one is about, but I can't really recall. It's apparently a big deal because they decide to block off the first two periods of the day. I look over at Mike, who happens to be in my homeroom to see if he knows anything, but he just shrugs. When the bell rings, I grab my stuff and head over to the auditorium, whispering a prayer that this will be relatively painless.

I get there just in time to see Jasper, Edward and Aro standing around chatting. Edward waves me over with a smile, so I walk towards them, happy to have found my friends before we head in. Edward wraps his arm around me, and I snuggle in, threading my arm around his waist.

"Can you believe this?" laughs Jasper. "This is going to be so awesome."

"What?" I ask.

"This assembly. It's going to be fucking amazing. I am stoked I get to miss Calculus for this! Do you think they'll have pictures? Or video? That would perfection!" Jasper jumps around excitedly like somebody added crack to his Cocoa Puffs this morning.

"What are you talking about?" I push, feeling a bit irritated that I'm not in the know.

"Sex ed, dude!" shouts Jasper, a bit too loudly, and holds his hand up for a high five.

I give him my best, 'are you for real,' look before Aro feels bad and slaps his hand, causing Jasper to grin like a fool.

"They have some chick come in from some group, and she tells us all about sex stuff. I think they give out condoms and shit, too. I really hope she puts one on a banana."

"Dude," Edward says with a shake of his head. "You are way too excited for this shit. It's probably going to be boring as hell with some nurse or something, talking all clinically about how sex is bad and we shouldn't do it."

I flush, listening to Edward speak about sex, and when I finally get the courage to look up at him, he's staring back at me, looking slightly sheepish. I want to just blurt it out and ask if he's had sex before, but I'm not about to do it in front of our friends, and I'm not about to do it right before some sex assembly either. I start to think about it some more and wonder when _is_ the right time to talk to your boyfriend about his sexual past? Like, I'm pretty sure it's not dinner conversation, and I definitely don't think it would be an appropriate way to fill the gap between doing our homework and having a snack. I'm also certain that while we're in the midst of making out, it would pretty much be a buzzkill to ask Edward whether or not he's, you know, done it before.

All these thoughts swirl around in my head as we're herded into the auditorium, we take our usual section towards the side. The place fills up pretty quickly, and it's a loud mixture of people talking rapidly, shouting across rows of seats to friends, and just general noise. Oh, and Jasper. He still won't shut up.

"I wonder if they'll give out samples?" he asks aloud to nobody in particular.

"Samples of what?" I ask, despite knowing better.

"I dunno," he shrugs. "Condoms, lube, dildos?"

He cracks up, and both Edward and Aro break into laughter as well. I just roll my eyes because I know all of this is some ridiculous front that Jasper's putting on. He's probably just as freaked about this as I am. At the same time, I certainly don't need to hear my friend use the words "dildo" and "lube" in the same sentence. Ever. Thankfully, Jasper shuts up as he covertly texts somebody, most likely Alice. Marcus finally shows up and sits next to Jasper, and we all wait for this thing to begin. I just want it to be over with already. Jasper looks like he's waiting for the Rolling Stones to take the stage, Aro and Marcus both look sort of bored and Edward just looks...like Edward. He looks calm and chill, like this is no big deal. How he manages to stay so relaxed all the time is beyond me.

Trying to distract myself, I look down towards the podium, and Mr. Jenks is standing there, beads of sweat building up on his mostly hairless head. He grabs a handkerchief from his back pocket and wipes his forehead before tapping the mike to get our attention.

"Settle down, please. Settle down. I'd like for you all to give your undivided attention to Ms. Russell. She is an educator, who came to us today from Planned Parenthood to discuss matters of sexual health."

As soon as the words leave his lips, the entire auditorium erupts into giggles. This is going to be a long two hours. We all finally settle down, and Ms. Russell takes the mic, giving us a little bit more info on her background.

"I'm here today to speak about STIs," she begins, flipping on a PowerPoint presentation where the letters STI flash up on a screen behind her in large, bold print. "STIs, or sexually transmitted infections are a reality in today's world, especially for teens. By the end of my time here with you, we will learn about the various ones you can encounter and the best way to protect yourselves from them."

Immediately, people start whispering to their friends sitting next to them. My eyes are bugging out, realizing I'm going to have to listen to somebody else talk about sex for two hours when I can't even discuss it with my best friend. I close my eyes and pray this will go quickly. Edward's sitting next to me and just looks amused. He apparently still isn't freaking out that he will have to be subjected to words like _penis_ or _vagina_ shortly.

Ms. Russell waits for it to be entirely silent before grabbing the microphone and walking over to the students in the front row. She asks them to count off by four.

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

"Four."

When she gets to the fourth person, she has them stand up. She continues this for an entire section, until a large group of students is standing. I have no clue what's going on, and neither does anybody else. We're all quiet, waiting for her to explain herself. She asks the students to remain standing before heading back to the podium.

"Each year, one in four teens contracts an STI. Look around you. This is just a small visual to represent that fact."

She has the students sit down, and I begin shifting uncomfortably in my seat. One in four? That sounds awfully large. I look at Edward, as if willing him to give me a sign as to his virginity status. This whole one in four statistic is making me really queasy, and I would feel much more comfortable knowing my boyfriend is a virgin, like me. I notice the big screen change up ahead as Ms. Russell begins describing the various STIs out there. I'm soon inundated with facts about various types of diseases as pictures flash across the screen, showing us herpes, chlamydia and gonorrhea.

I'm pretty sure I could have gone the rest of my life without seeing what a close up of the herpes virus looks like. I could also have stood to never hear the phrases "genital lesion," "thick, copious urethral pus discharge" and "weeping secretion" ever again. As Ms. Russell describes some of the symptoms, I notice the boys shift around in their seats, as if it actually pains their peens to listen to this. Aro even looks a bit green around the gills. After listing and describing all the different diseases you can pick up through sex, Ms. Russell changes the subject slightly.

"That looks like the fucking Blob." Marcus shudders as he stares in fear at the close up of a herpes blister. "There is no way I will dip my dick into anything that can give me that."

Jasper snorts and whispers in a high pitched voice, imitating the nurse from _The Blob_, "Doctor, nothing will stop it!"

We burst into laughter and are quickly hushed by a nearby teacher. Chagrined, we turn back to listen to Ms. Russell.

"Now, the best way to avoid these diseases," she says, while pointing up at the screen. "Abstinence."

A collective groan filters through the audience, and I have to stifle a laugh.

"However, it's not that simple. Studies have proven time and time again that the only way to truly prevent these diseases, especially amongst teens, is through education and knowledge. The reality is that nearly half of all teens from age fifteen to nineteen have had sex at least once. Instead of leaving you in the dark about how to prevent these diseases and just hope for the best, I'm here today to show you how to protect yourself in the best way possible aside from abstinence."

Ms. Russell's words make me feel better about this whole sex thing. I don't feel like a total freak for not having had sex yet. And if I wasn't a virgin, I don't think I'd feel like a freak either. It seems pretty well split down the middle, according to the information she shares with us. I'm hoping that once Edward and I end up having the big sex conversation that I feel looming on the horizon, we'll both be okay about it all. I almost wish Hallmark has an "I'm a virgin, what about you?" card I could give him. If only it were that easy.

I focus back on Ms. Russell as she reaches into her bag to grab a few things and lays them out onto the table next to her. I can't see what's there from where I'm sitting, but I have an idea that we're about to get a closer look. She holds up a small blue square and asks us what it is. Almost the entire audience shouts out, "Condom!"

Ms. Russell nods her head. "Good. I'm glad you all at least know what it is. I'm not surprised, however. In fact, recent surveys have shown that eighty-three percent of teen females and ninety-one percent of teen males have used contraceptives while engaging in sexual activities. Hopefully, we can continue to raise those numbers until they're at one-hundred percent."

As she's speaking, Ms. Russell takes the condom and pulls the wrapper open, explaining how it's imperative to do this part carefully, since you don't want to tear the actual condom.

"Are you going to use a banana to show us how it's done?" Jasper shouts out as everyone erupts in laughter.

I groan and slink down in my seat, praying that nobody realizes the question came from our section. Not only am I embarrassed for myself, but I'm embarrassed for Ms. Russell, but she doesn't even flinch. In fact, she hardly misses a beat before she replies.

"Sir, I think you have more important things to worry about if your penis is shaped like a banana. So, no. I will not be using a piece of produce to demonstrate the proper way in which to apply a condom."

Jasper's eyes grow wide at her response, but then his face slowly relaxes, and he's smiling.

"I like this chick," he nods approvingly before finally shutting up.

Meanwhile, down in front, Ms. Russell pulls out a wooden square and screws on something that looks like a... Oh! It's a wooden penis. She has a wooden penis in her bag. I crane my neck, wondering what else she has in there. The room grows silent as everyone stares at the contraption in her hand. They've even tinted the wood a bit so it looks...pink.

"So," Ms. Russell says. "Who wants to come down and help me explain the proper way to do this? Perhaps the young man with a fondness for fruit?"

While the entire auditorium had been bubbling with laughter and chatter only minutes ago, it's now deadly silent. They all turn at once and look at Jasper, who's right hand is shaking slightly.

"Y'all are a bunch of pussies," he whispers before he heads down to stand by Ms. Russell.

We're all watching intently as Ms. Russell instructs Jasper on the proper way to pinch the reservoir tip at the top of the condom before rolling it down the makeshift peen. I'm amazed at Jasper's control as he doesn't laugh or crack any jokes while he does this. She speaks for a bit about proper condom use and disposal before moving on. Digging into her bag again, Ms. Russell holds up another piece of contraception, but nobody seems to know what it is, including Jasper, who's just looking at it all funny like. It looks like a thin sheet of plastic wrap but firmer. Ms. Russell hands it to Jasper who stretches it and holds it up close to his face to inspect it.

"This..." begins Ms. Russell, pointing to the thing in Jasper's hands. "...is a dental damn. You can use it while performing oral sex for increased protection against STIs. This includes oral contact with both the vagina and anus."

At her words, Jasper flings the dental dam from his hands, and it lands on Jessica Stanley's lap. I burst out laughing, and thankfully a bunch more people do as well, but I immediately clap my hands over my mouth, feeling bad. Ms. Russell moves to retrieve the dental dam while Jasper just looks speechless, which is a first for him. He heads back up to his seat, shaking his head the entire time. When he makes it back to our row, Edward has his fist out, giving him a bump.

"Real smooth, man. Real smooth," he smirks.

"Fuck you, Cullen," hisses Jasper, although he doesn't seem really angry. "I'd like to see you go up there and do that shit."

I giggle, trying not to piss Jasper off any further. He turns to look at me with a playful smile.

"Oh really Bella, you want to make fun? Here!" he tosses something in my lap. "Why don't we see who does it better."

Jasper's smirk turns larger as I realize what he's flung at me. He must have grabbed a handful of condoms from the table down there because he's thrown a few of them at me. I'm now holding a Magnum XL condom in my hands. I quickly ball my hand into a fist, hiding the condom.

"Fuck you, Jasper," I spit out, embarrassed, feeling the heat creep up my neck and spread across my cheeks.

I'm this close to revealing his V-card status, but I know I'd be super hurt if anyone did that to me, so instead, I just glare at him defiantly.

"You wish," Jasper snorts, before yelping.

I glance over and see that Edward has punched Jasper in the arm, and by the looks of it, it was hard. Jasper rubs his arm while staring at Edward, who's looking right back at him.

"Fuck. Fine, whatever. I was just saying, don't mess with the master. That's all."

"Yeah, the master of your own hand," sputters Marcus, and we all laugh, whatever weird tension that was there effectively disappearing.

We turn our attention back to Ms. Russell, but not before Edward leans over to me, his warm breath tickling my ear.

"You okay?" he asks, his eyes filled with concern.

"Fine," I say, smiling up at him.

He stares at me for a few more seconds before nodding. Finally, about half an hour and some more free condoms later, the assembly is over, and everyone heads to their third period class. It's super hard to concentrate on much else besides sex, however, since everyone is buzzing about the assembly. I make it through most of the day, doing my best to ignore the crazy sex haze that has suddenly descended upon the senior class. All I can think about is that it's Friday and school is almost over as I head into Banner's class with Edward right by my side. We have a few minutes before class starts, and Edward turns around in his seat, leaning towards me.

"So, you're still coming over after school, right?" he asks, his voice low as he doodles abstractly on the cover of my Bio book.

"Of course," I nod, hoping I'm not coming across as too eager.

"Good," is Edward's short reply.

"What are we going to do?" I press, hoping he'll clue me in that his folks will be gone.

Unfortunately, that doesn't happen since he has just enough time to shrug his shoulders before Banner calls the class to attention. Pouting, I open my notebook and grumpily take notes. I debate passing Edward a note, but I don't want to get in trouble, and I'm not even sure what I would write. My mind is swirling with all the different things we might do. Maybe Edward will take me out on another date, and I get giddy at the thought. Then, another idea creeps into my head. Maybe we'll stay at his house...all alone, just the two of us. I gulp, my fingers gripping the pencil in my hand so hard it almost breaks. While my body is screaming for more of Edward's touch, my mind is currently possessed by the horrifying PowerPoint presentation it witnessed earlier. I'm unsure I'll be able to feel hot with images of herpes running through my mind.

"Bella?"

I look up, shaken out of my daydream. Staring at me is a pair of green eyes, and they look concerned.

"Do you feel okay?" Edward asks, reaching out to feel my forehead.

_Awesome. _I must look like shit.

"I'm fine," I reassure him, shaking off his hand. I look around and notice the bell must have rung because the class is nearly empty.

"Oh," he replies. "Good. You looked a little pale there for a second."  
_  
Of course I must look pale. I'm imagining the ten thousand different diseases that might result from your peen going anywhere near my vag._ I bite my lip from allowing any of my insane internal dialogue from spilling out. Edward's hand brushes my face as his fingers pry my lip out from in between my teeth. He places a quick kiss on them.

"Please be gentle with my lips," he whispers before winking at me.

My fingers come up to my lips where his have just been, and I gently rub them as I nod, unable to say anything. How do you respond to something that fucking sweet? Instead, I stand up, grab my bag and thread my arm through Edward's as he takes me to class. I give him a quick kiss on the cheek, letting him know I'll meet him out by the cars after school. Thankfully, photography class moves quickly, and miraculously, Jasper seems pretty chill. I debate mentioning the whole virginity thing but decide I don't want to deal with the fallout if he gets pissed, so I avoid any mention of "S-E-X" all together.

Finally, the day is done, and I race out to meet Edward by our cars. He's already there, standing against my truck with his arms crossed. As I get closer, he uncurls them, opening them up to me. I rush in, giving him a huge hug. His kiss on the top of my head doesn't go unnoticed by me, and I give his chest a peck where my face is currently buried.

"So...want to head to my place?" he asks, like it's no big deal.

"Mmhmm," I nod, my face still pressed into the warmth of his jacket.

We get into our respective cars, and I follow him to his place, noticing that he drives a bit faster than usual this time. As we walk in, I see a note on his kitchen table and snatch it before he has a chance to see it. I read it aloud, much to Edward's amusement.

"Dear Edward," I begin, and I realize it's a letter from Esme. "As you know, your father and I have his work function tonight. I've left a bit early to have my nails done and will be meeting him there. I left a lasagna in the fridge. You just need to heat it up for twenty minutes at three-hundred and fifty degrees. If Bella's there, please say hi from us. And be good. Love, mom."

I look at Edward, waving the note in his face.

"What?" he asks, looking the complete picture of innocence.

"You know what," I challenge. "You knew that your parents weren't going to be home, and you didn't say anything?"

"Oh," he says, his left hand coming up to scratch the back of his head. "I just didn't want everyone knowing and thinking I was gonna throw a party or whatever bullshit. I just wanted to spend tonight...with you.**"**

_Oh._

I can feel my cheeks heat up slightly, and they only get warmer when Edward steps closer, lunging for the piece of paper in my hand. I hold on to it tightly, however, which causes him to crash into me. I can feel every inch of him.

Every. Solid. Inch.

I gulp and relinquishing the piece of paper, but he doesn't grab it, and instead, it floats down to the floor.

"The...the note..." I point out lamely, but Edward doesn't seem interested in it at all.

"Didn't want the note," he murmurs, his lips skimming up my neck.

"Oh. What did you..."

Before I'm able to even really finish my thought, Edward's lips are on mine, making it impossible for me to speak, even if I wanted to. His hands thread their way into my hair, and I fist at his shirt instinctively, pulling him closer. His tongue darts out and wets my lips before finding its way into my mouth as Edward deepens our kiss. After a few more sweeps of his tongue, he pulls back, resting his forehead against mine.

"That," he says simply as he catches his breath. "I wanted that."

"Mmm..." I sigh.

By this point, I'm reduced to a mass of quivering jelly. I run my hands up and down Edward's chest, but he backs up, pulling my hand and leading me towards the living room. He sits down lengthwise on the couch, so his legs are stretched out and his back is against the arm rest. I look around, unsure of where to sit before Edward tugs me down, and I maneuver so I'm settled between his legs. I relax against Edward, and my body molds to his. I can feel his breath as his chests rises and falls and his strong arms as they encompass me. I can also feel his giant, hard peen as it presses against my lower back. I may or may not shift slightly to feel it more. Edward's groan tells me he enjoys that move, and I smile to myself.

Then, in the span of two seconds, the crazy somehow seeps out and totally takes over. While the feel of his peen against my back is sending all sorts of twingles throughout my body, and more importantly, right between my legs, I can't get my brain to shut off. My body is screaming for Edward to just touch my vag already, but I know we need to have some sort of talk before anything big happens. I'm feeling a little more relaxed about my own virginity status after my mall-talk with Alice. Somehow, knowing that Jasper's still a virgin and that he and Alice are waiting makes it all seem less stressful. I know Edward and I will talk, and I've done my best to mentally prepared myself for whatever skanky skeletons he might have in his closet.

"Stop," Edward commands, his voice pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?" I ask, but it comes out more like a sigh because his fingers are currently stroking the inside of my arms in a really intense way.

"Whatever you're thinking about so hard...Stop," he says in a quieter voice. "Please."

I nod my head and take a deep breath, doing my best to relax. It's hard, though, because every time Edward's fingers touch my bare skin, I start to feel flushed, and my heart beat accelerates rapidly. I realize my entire body has tensed up, so I lean back against him and hear how shallow his own breath is. For some reason, it's comforting. Edward moves my hair from my neck and begins rubbing my shoulders. It feels really good, and I'm impressed with how expertly he massages them. I'm rolling my neck, allowing him greater access and suppress the urge to moan aloud. I feel a tickle of his breath on my ear as he whispers.

"Let's go outside for a quick smoke."

I sit up suddenly, taken aback by his sudden change in tactic. I was just starting to feel twingles in all the right places, and he wants to go outside for a cig? I totally don't understand him. I get up, and we walk outside, sitting on Edward's back patio. I find myself wishing that there was some sort of "High School Boys For Dummies" book that I could just pick up and read through. I am pretty certain that most boys would be jumping at the chance at having their girlfriend all alone with no parents or friends around, and yet instead of jumping me, here we are, sitting outside.

I look over at Edward, expecting to see him rolling a cig, but instead, he's packing a bowl. He looks up at me with a shrug.

"It's Friday, we're not going to be doing any homework, and you're here for a bit...right?"

It's sweet that he remembers that I don't like to drive while high, and I nod, indicating that I'll be staying a while and am game for a little toke. He hands me the bowl and hovers over me, shielding me from the cold breeze that whips past us, so I can light it. I quickly light it and inhale, blowing the smoke away from us and watch it mingle with the dark green pine needles as it swirls up to the sky before disappearing. Edward takes the bowl from me and hits it before we pass it back and forth a couple more times.

"Better?" he asks me, and I realize that any tension I'd been holding in my body is gone, so I nod.

"Yeah. Thanks. I really am okay. That assembly this morning gave me too much to think about," I admit, hating the fact that stupid pot makes my verbal filter all wonky.

"Really?" he asks, his eyebrows moving high up his forehead in surprise.

I shrug because I'm not sure I want to get into this discussion now, while I feel really good.

"I guess, I mean, didn't it freak you out a bit?" Because apparently I really can't shut up while stoned.

"Well, yeah. It's never fun to think about your dick turning all red and itchy and shit," he laughs, but suddenly the air turns strange between us, and neither of us are laughing.

"Yeah," is my genius response. "I mean, no. I don't have a...a dick."

Seriously, I should remember to bring along a roll of duct tape to shut my mouth after smoking. That's why having snacks around after smoking is key - it keeps your mouth busy, so you don't have a chance to insert your foot in it. Edward snorts at my response and looks at me thoughtfully before speaking again.

"No...no you don't. And I mean, if you're safe and shit, it's totally fine. I...I'm glad she gave us those condoms."

I stare at Edward with wide eyes, my mouth gaping open like a dumbass fish.

"Y-y-you are?"

"Oh. No. I mean, yeah. I mean. Shit."

Edward runs his hands through his hair before composing himself and trying again.

"What I meant was that it was cool they did that, in case people want to have sex. You know, other people."

_Oh._

I stare at him dumbly, trying to unravel the mystery that is Edward Cullen. It's really hard because I'm totally baked and my mind is running in circles. Does he mean he doesn't want to have sex with me?

"You don't want to have sex?" I blurt out, and then, because I'm clearly a glutton for punishment, I follow it up with the most poorly timed question. "Have you ever had sex before?"

And then, it's out there, and I can't take it back. Apparently, we're going to have this discussion now. I shiver, mostly from the cold air, but a little bit in apprehension of Edward's answer. He watches me carefully before standing up and motioning for me to follow him. We head back inside, and his house feels warm and welcoming. Still not speaking, he pulls out the lasagna from the fridge, turns the oven on to preheat, and grabs my hand, leading me upstairs to his bedroom. Before we reach his bedroom, I pull back a little, suddenly nervous.

"You know. I wasn't, like, challenging you. You don't have to go take me in there and sex me up to prove something," I blurt out because my verbal diarhea is getting worse. I should look into getting some medicine for that, stat.

Edward cocks and eyebrow at me and smirks before pulling me into his room. He has a couch in his room, like mine, and we sit there instead of the bed. _Phew._

"Bella," Edward says as he turns my face to look at him. "I didn't bring you in here to, 'sex you up.' I came in here because it's warm, and you seemed cold outside. And clearly, we need to talk."

I just stare at him, hoping he'll continue, because really, he still needs to answer the question I've asked him. I wait and watch him lick his dry lips and run his hand through his impossibly messy hair. Finally, he speaks.

"Yes."

_Shit._ I can't tell which question he's answering, since I did ask him two. Either way, 'yes' is not a good answer. Either he doesn't want to have sex with me, or he's had sex before. I can feel my palms start to get sweaty, and for some reason my eyeballs feel really dry so I start blinking rapidly, hoping to hell I'm not having some weird pot-induced "my-boyfriend's-a-slut-who-doesn't-want-to-sleep-with-me" panic attack. Edward must notice that I'm on the brink of something not good and he takes my hand.

"No, I mean, No. I mean. Shit. Bella. Look at me. Please?" he pleads, and I can't help but look up when he sounds all pouty like that. "Yes, I do want to have sex with you."

_Oh._

_OH_.

Now, I start to feel nervous. Holy shit, I can't believe he just said he wants to have sex with me. My palms now feel insanely wet, so I wipe them on my pants. Only when Edward grabs a hold of my hands do I realize that his hand is sweaty too, and he's still talking.

"But, um, yes to your other question, too," he whispers, not looking at me.

I'm so wrapped up in the thought that Edward actually wants to have sex with me, and I'm not some horrid mutant freak or something, that I momentarily forget the other question that had slipped out of my pot-addled brain.

Edward's not a virgin.

When I think it in my head, for some reason, I'm not incredibly freaked out or pissed or angry. I just roll the thought around, contemplating it. A low beep sounds in the distance, and Edward gets up.

"But it was stupid and meaningless, and I didn't...I didn't love her or anything," he says quickly as he runs downstairs, presumably to put in the lasagna.  
_  
He didn't love her? Does that mean...?_ I don't let myself even go there, since there are way too many things to think about besides the eighty million hidden meanings in what Edward has just said.

I sit back on the couch, close my eyes and pray to anyone who is listening to help me figure this fucked up situation out.

* * *

*Irvin S. Yeaworth directed The Blob.

**A/N:** If you would like to know more about safe sex, please check out: **www(DOT)PlannedParenthood(DOT)org**


	11. Leiner, a Frosty & Fries

**A/N: **hee hee...sorry for the teensy cockblock ending in the last chapter, but I'm super hopeful this one makes up for it. Thanks to everyone who's been reading and all you fabulous peeps who've been reviewing and letting me know what you think. You all rock hardcore!

Huge thanks to the usual crew of misfits that I somehow lucked into helping me with this fic. Big smooches to Char for betaing this puppy and for putting up with my abuse of the comma. And bewbgropes for Gin & Lara for prereading this shiz. Srsly. One day I will take all your hysterical sprinkles and compile them into a word doc. It probably wouldn't make sense, but it would be hilarious. oh, and any mistakes left are purely my own!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high...

* * *

I look around Edward's room while I wait for him to come back. I pick at my nails nervously while looking over the stack of DVDs he has near his bed, doing anything to distract myself from my thoughts. It doesn't work, and so my mind reviews what I've just learned.

1. Edward wants to have sex with me.

2. Edward is not a virgin.

3. Edward may or may not love me. Maybe.

I decide to not even bother thinking about number three for the moment and focus on the first two. Of course, I immediately zone in on the fact that Edward's not a virgin. I'm not entirely surprised, so it's not like this is some huge shock, but still...I'm kind of irrationally sad about it. Then, for some reason, I think about Alice and what she shared with me when we were at the mall. She's done it before, but it's going to be something special when she finally gets to do it with Jasper...because he's special. I cling to the last thing Edward said before he ran downstairs.  
_  
But it was stupid and meaningless, and I didn't...I didn't love her or anything._

I really hope that he means it won't be stupid and meaningless with me. Which brings me to point number one - Edward Cullen wants to have sex with me. That thought alone makes me giddy and freaked the fuck out all at once. Like, I'm pretty sure I'm breaking out into hives at the thought. But still, they're sexy 'I-can't-believe-I'm-thinking-about-sex' hives. I groan, realizing I'm trying to make hives sound sexy. Clearly, I'm completely stoned right now. My attention drifts as I hear thudding footsteps bound up the stairs. A few moments later, Edward appears in the doorway, leaning against it for a second. He looks absolutely edible.

"So...lasagna should be ready in twenty minutes or so. I know it's not really dinner time yet, but I'm getting hungry," he says, patting his flat stomach.

As his hand moves back up to support him in the doorway, I notice as his shirt rides up a bit, exposing a bit of his skin. Light brown hair dusts it, and I really want to reach out and touch it. So I do. I've apparently grown a set of lady balls and I'm gonna use them to go touch my man. I get up and walk over to him, allowing my fingers to brush the exposed skin as soon as I reach it. Edward's hand closes over mine.

"Bella," he growls out, his tone almost warning.

I look up at him, batting my eyelashes.

"What?"

Somehow, Edward wraps his arm, along with mine around me and leads me to the couch. He sits us both down but never stops holding my hand.

"I think we should...you know...talk, first, before we do that."

_Oh shit. _Does he think I want to have sex with him? I mean, yes, of course I do, just not now. I rush to make sure that he doesn't think I'm trying to do that now, quickly, before our lasagna is ready.

"Yes, of course we should. I don't...I don't think I'm ready yet, actually," I blush. "But...does that mean we can't do...anything?"

The sudden appearance of my lady balls begins to waver, and I start to worry that maybe he doesn't want to do anything. I probably sound really stupid and have ruined everything. When I glance up, I notice that Edward's eyes look a bit darker, and he's staring at me really strangely.

It's kind of hot.

Edward's hands come down on either side of me as he leans in, nipping at my ear.

"Oh, we can definitely do something," he groans, licking the shell of my ear.

My body shudders, and I reach up to pull him closer. I end up falling backwards a bit, and Edward follows, his lips seeking mine. We kiss for a few minutes, and it's completely filled with frantic lips mashing against each other as if we're in a race but I'm not sure what the prize is. When Edward's outer leg falls over the side of the couch and his hips come in contact with mine, I think I have a better idea of what the prize is, since it's digging right into my side.  
_  
Edward's peen. _

I really want to touch it this time.

While we continue to kiss, my hands move up and down his chest, sometimes drifting underneath his shirt, rubbing at the cool skin they find there. Edward does the same, but from his position, he's unable to get his hands around me on both sides because of the couch. He nods towards his bed.

"Do you maybe want to move? It might be more comfortable."

I gulp, and without even realizing it, my teeth clamp down on my lower lip, chewing on it nervously.

"Um, yes?" I say, but it comes out more like a question.

I want to go to his bed and be more comfortable, but I'm also afraid that being on the bed will lead to things happening way too quickly, and that scares me a bit. Edward sits up and pulls me with him. His hand shoots out to caress my cheek, and I can't help but lean my face into his palm. After kissing me on the forehead, Edward stands up.

"Do you trust me?" he asks, his eyes beseeching mine.

I stare at him, seeing nothing but honesty swimming around in the dark pools of emerald green staring back at me. I lick my now dry lips and nod.

"Yes."

I take his outstretched hand and stand up, following him the three short feet to his bed. He sits down first and pats the space next to him. I sit down, folding my legs up underneath me, and turn to face him slightly. Immediately, Edward's hands are in my hair, pulling me closer as his lips attack mine. He pushes himself further back on the bed, and I shift around until I'm straddling him. As our kisses grow more frantic, his hands leave my hair and fly under my shirt, caressing whatever bare skin he can find. The rough pads of his fingers brush against my ribs and tickle, making me squirm.

Thankfully, Edward moves his hands up, past my ribs and cups my boobs through the thin fabric of my cotton bra. This time I'm wearing a front clasp one, and he must feel the plastic snap in the middle, because he somehow deftly opens it up without even looking. Then, his hands are directly on my skin, pinching my nipples and rolling them between his fingers. I can't even be bothered to care about the sounds coming out of my mouth. I want to feel more of Edward, so I make him take his shirt off, lamenting the loss of his hands on my body for the brief five seconds he needs to peel off his shirt.

As soon as his arms are free, I launch myself back at him, all nervous energy suddenly gone. I'm fueled by lust and hormones right now, and my mind is allowing me this brief respite from its usual continuous monologue of self doubt and worry. I kiss Edward's lips once more before moving down to lick his scruffy jaw. It feels like sandpaper on my tongue but tastes fucking phenomenal, like smoke and earthiness and boy. I continue making my way down, kissing and nipping at his neck, stopping to suck at the throbbing pulse point right below his chin.

"Bella," Edward growls, almost in warning as his fingers dip below my waist, cupping my butt. I shift, grinding up against him, and I can feel how hard he is, and my earlier thought comes thundering back. I want to feel him. All of him. I brush my fingers through the coarse hair right above his pants and bravely sink them lower. Amidst a bunch more thick hair, I feel the smoothness of his peen, sandwiched between his body and clothes.

Before I'm able to reach down any further, Edward grips my hand, causing me to look up at him.

"Oh, you don't want me to?" I ask, suddenly ashamed.

"Of course I do," he says, a hint of panic in his voice. "But...I kind of wanted to um...touch you first. If...if that's okay."

I gulp and nod my head, having no idea what to do. Edward seems to sense my nervousness because he gently flips us around, so I'm laying beneath him. He hovers over me, bending down to whisper in my ear.

"Trust me."

My body relaxes at his words and melts even further at his tender touch. Hovering above me, Edward slithers down so he's sort of kneeling between my outstretched legs, his head right at my belly. Edward grins before lifting up my shirt and kissing my stomach as his hands move down towards my legs. His fingers start fiddling with the buttons on my pants, and I start to squirm in anticipation of what's to come. I hear the sound of my zipper being dragged down and lift up my hips slightly, allowing Edward to pull my jeans down. I'm glad that I've left my shirt on because once my pants come off and I feel the cool breeze on my bare legs, I become nervous at how exposed I am. As it is, I am eternally grateful that I remembered to shave my legs the other day.

As Edward moves his hands up my now bare legs, I glance down and want to smack my head. I realize too late that I'm wearing the lamest undies ever. They may not be as bad as my white Fruit of the Loom granny briefs, which are like the most non sexy things ever, but they're definitely no cheekies. Instead, Edward has the pleasure of seeing me in light green bikini cut undies that are covered in a vibrant daisy print. _Awesome._ I also notice that a few curly black hairs are sticking out the sides of them, which I can only imagine add to the allure. However, any and all thoughts over what I'm wearing disappear the moment Edward's finger strokes right between my legs, making me throb with an ache I've never felt before.

With no thought at all, I instinctively thrust my hips into his hand, needing more friction. It's only when Edward's fingers make another sweeping pass, this time a bit firmer, do I realize with great embarrassment how wet I feel down there. Edward's hand moves to my outer thigh, and I rub my legs together, hoping that feeling this wet is normal. I mean, usually I'm enjoying my special time in the shower, so who the fuck knows how wet I am with the water going. Edward doesn't seem put off at all, however, and is gently moves my legs apart. His fingers skim the edge of my undies, dipping below and through the damp curls. He doesn't take them off, though, and continues to explore beneath them with his long fingers.

He rubs the outside of my vag, spreading the wetness around, and I'm pretty sure these undies are now going to be ruined forever, but I'm also pretty sure that I don't care at all. I start to relax some more, enjoying the feel of Edward's fingers rubbing me down there. I gasp when he uncurls his fingers and thrusts one inside of me. It feels funny at first, like he's digging around in there for something and I start to get nervous about whether or not he might scratch me with his fingernail. My crazy thoughts don't last long as he adds one more finger and continues to pump them both inside of me. It feels really good and the twingles are back in full force. I'm whimpering and sighing and want to scream out loud but don't want to frighten him off, either.

When Edward's thumb presses a certain spot, I jerk up into his hand, my hips moving without my permission. Edward seems to like that, though, and while his fingers continue to work their magic, his mouth makes its way back up my stomach, pressing kisses along the way. I start to feel a hot coil of energy build up in my stomach. It's a crazy mixture of butterflies, stomach pangs and the most incredible feeling ever. _Fuck!_ Science needs to bottle this shit and sell it for something. It's that good. Edward curls the fingers he has inside of me up, and they hit some sort of perfect spot because I completely unfold, crying out his name a few more "fucks!" for good measure.

My head flops down against his pillows, and I take a second to catch my breath. Edward removes his fingers from me and scoots up to sit next to me, but not before pressing a quick kiss right above the line of my undies near my hip bone. _Gah. _My undies are completely soaked now, and I might have to shove some toilet paper into them to make it somewhat bearable. Or, I might just have to take them off and go commando. I laugh at the thought, but since I'm so spent, it comes out as a sigh.

"You okay?" Edward asks, stroking the inside of my arm lightly.

"More than okay. That was...yeah. That was fucking phenomenal," I admit, throwing my hand up over my face to prevent him from seeing how flushed I am.

I peek out through my fingers to see that Edward has a cocky grin on his face. But that's not the only thing I notice. My eyes drift down his naked chest, which is covered in a slight sheen of sweat, to his pants, where is peen is struggling to break free. I reach out and stroke him through the thick material, and even through his jeans, I can feel it twitch at my touch. I need to see it.

"Can you...can you take your pants off?" I ask, the slight shakiness of my voice betraying me.

Not even a second later, Edward chucks his pants off, tossing them away, and I take the chance to look him over. He's lanky and a bit bony, to be honest, and for a second, I think he might be skinnier than me, which is sort of weird. But as I look closer, I notice that his arms and chest are actually defined with muscle, and a brown sprinkling of hair trails from his belly button right down towards his...

_Oh!  
_  
I toss my hand up to my mouth to stop the eruption of giggles that's about to occur, but it's too late. I can't help it. For the first time, I notice Edward's boxers, and they're a bit absurd. They're navy blue and covered in a print of frying pans filled with eggs and bacon. Could they be anymore obvious? Like, "Hello! Huge slab of bacon and a fresh set of eggs inside!"

"Cute boxers," I say through a giggle, so Edward doesn't think I'm laughing at his body or anything. Because that would be ridiculous. There is no way in hell I would ever laugh at the beautiful boy in front of me. And with that realization, I sober up as my fingers traces the curves of the muscles in his arms. I look up and see the slight pink hue to Edward's cheeks.

"Yeah," he shrugs. "My mom gets them for me. Whatever."

"No. I like them," I remark quietly as my finger trails even lower.

I dip my finger tentatively into the elastic band of his boxers, sweeping it back and forth. Edward's grunts and groans spur me on as I settle back over him, straddling his legs. I'm not sure if I can handle him being completely naked, which is insane since he's only one pair of silly boxers away from laying in front of me in his birthday suit. But I figure the boxers provide some sort of reminder that we're not going to do _that_ just yet. Instead of tearing his boxers off, I pull open the slot in the front and reach in. I find his hard peen immediately, and wrap my fingers around it. It feels really warm, and despite being so hard, it's actually pretty soft to the touch. Like, the skin of the peen is silky smooth. I wonder if that's because Edward uses a lot of lotion or something when he jerks off.

Thoughts of Edward jerking himself off kind of make me horny and I want to see his peen already. I pull it out through the hole in his boxers. My hand strokes up and down lazily as I stare at it. It's not as veiny as Tyler's, and then I feel bad for even thinking of another guy's peen right now. I shake my head and focus on Edward. As my hand moves up, my thumb sweeps over the head, dipping slightly into the hole at the top. Edward shudders, and I look up at him. His eyes are shut, and his fists are curled into tight balls. I hope I'm not hurting him.

"Are you okay?" I ask, worried that maybe he's not enjoying this.

"Uh huh," he grunts out and moves one of his hands over mine, so we're both holding his peen. "Can you do it harder, please?"

_Harder?_ At least I know I'm not hurting him. I continue moving my hand up and down, this time tightening my grip and trying to squeeze and move it all at the same time. It's sort of tricky to find a movement that feels right and soon my wrist starts to hurt a bit. I swap hands, and start jerking him off with my left one, but that's not good at all, because I'm not able to maintain any pressure with my less dominant hand and still stroke him in a relatively smooth manner. I flex my right wrist a few times then swap back to that hand. Edward moans out, "Faster!" and I do my best to comply, but it's tricky since both his peen and my hand are dry, causing me to sometimes get caught up and lose momentum.

He's starting to leak out the tip, so I sweep my hand over it, gathering some up to use as lube, but it's more sticky than slick, really and not very helpful. Not wanting this to be the worst handjob in all of handjob history, I quckly spit into my palm, hoping Edward doesn't notice. His eyes are closed again, so I think it's gone unseen. I keep jerking him off with my hand while peppering his chest with kisses, since I can't quite reach his lips from my current position. He seems to like that based on the "Ugh, yes!" that comes from his mouth, so I keep doing it, fascinated by how his body is squirming and writhing beneath me. All of a sudden, Edward stills, his body tightening up before he grunts out something unintelligible. A few seconds later, his peen is pulsing in my hand, which is now covered in a stream of hot, sticky jizz.

I give him one more pump, you know, just in case there's anything left in there that needs to come out, but as it deflates in my hand, it seems that he's all done. Edward reaches around and finds a box of tissues right on his night stand and he grabs a few and hands them to me. I wipe my hand, but the tissue doesn't seem to get it off, so I quickly run to the bathroom and wash my hands, scrubbing carefully to get it all off. After washing my hands, I realize that my undies are no longer only wet but wet and cold. The feeling is not pleasant at all, but I'm not about to walk back into Edward's room not wearing them. Instead, I grab a piece of toilet paper and wipe myself, astounded by how wet I still am. I'm still kinda damp after a few good swipes, so I take another piece of toilet paper, fold it in half and stick it inside my undies. It's kinda gross, but it will have to do for now. Hopefully, Edward doesn't notice anything.

When I return, Edward's wearing a fresh pair of boxers and a lazy grin on his face. He's putting on a new t-shirt but is still sitting on his bed. He holds his hand out, and I grab it, tumbling onto the bed next to him. Within seconds, I'm laying flat on my back, with Edward hovering above me. He plants wet kisses over my entire face, speaking in between each one.

"That," _kiss_. "was unfuckingbelievable." _kiss_. "You are." _kiss_. "absolutely incredible." _kiss_.

I blush and move my head to kiss him back.

"Thanks," I mutter, sort of embarrassed.

"No," he replies with a shake of his head. "Thank you."

I giggle and push him off of me so I can snuggle into his side. We lay there for a while, each of us trying to calm ourselves down after that massive sexy time workout. I hear a faint beeping in the distance and nudge Edward to see if he hears it as well. He gets up and opens his bedroom door, and that's when the smell hits us. Something is burning. Edward grabs his pants and tosses them on quickly as he flies down the stairs. I'm behind him a moment later after putting on my own pants. I make it into the kitchen just in time to see him open the oven. Using a dishcloth, he carefully takes the pan out and places it on a hot plate.

"Oh, fuck!" Edward grumbles, peeling back the aluminum foil that's covering the pan.

Black smoke wafts up from it, stinging my eyes. He pokes at the charred mess with a spatula, grimacing.

"Yeah...we're not going to be eating this tonight," he says apologetically.

I walk up behind him and slide my hands around his waist.

"It's okay. It was uh...kind of worth it. I mean, I'm sure your mom's lasagna is tasty, but..." I trail off.

Edward snorts but agrees with me, slapping my ass on his way across the kitchen to the fridge.

"I'm sure I can find something else."

He begins rifling through the fridge but comes up empty.

"Damnit!" I hear him swear under his breath, and it's kind of cute that he's so upset over the fact that dinner is ruined. I'm pretty sure I'd take one hundred burnt lasagnas for a replay of what just happened in Edward's room.

"Ooh!" Edward exclaims excitedly, his mood suddenly shifting.

"What?"

"I just remembered...White Castle!"

I watch as the smile on his face grows impossibly bigger.

"White Castle?"

"Yeah," he nods eagerly. "The guys told me that they just opened one near here so you don't need to drive all the way to Port Angeles anymore. I could really go for a burger right about now. Plus, it's fast food, so it won't take long."

Edward seems really proud and excited that he came up with this idea, and sure, a burger sounds fine to me as well. I nod my head in agreement and follow Edward out to his car. We head out of his driveway, and he reaches over to grab my hand, holding it like it's the most natural thing in the world. I close my eyes, enjoying the feeling of his hand around mine. I must drift off a bit because the next thing I know, Edward is stopped at a light, cursing out loud.

"Shit! I swear it's around here somewhere. Aro told me that he and Marcus found it once. They took the I-90 to exit three. Or...was it thirty-three? No, that can't be right. Fuck!" Edward cries out, slamming his hand against the steering wheel.

I mean, I love a good White Castle burger as much as the next person, but it really isn't the end of the world. I place my hand on his thigh, hoping to help calm him down. It seems to work as his grip on the steering wheel loosens, and he lets up on the gas.

"There's a Wendy's two blocks that way," I point, figuring that it will be just as good.

"Fine," Edward grumbles, as he turns on his signal.

Six minutes later, we're sitting in a booth at Wendy's, about to dig in to some greasy food. The only sounds coming from us are slurps and groans of delight as our bellies fill up with greasy burgers and fries. I finish my burger quickly, not at all surprised at how hungry I am. I still have a bunch of fries left, as well as my Frosty. I pry the top off the shake as Edward watches me carefully. I take a fry, dip it into the chocolatey goodness and then pop it into my mouth, savoring it.

"What the hell was that?" Edward asks, staring at me.

"What was what?"

"You just dipped your fry in your Frosty. And then ate it," he clarifies as if I'm not here and didn't just experience it.

"Um, yeah I did. It's only the best thing ever," I tell him, much to his amusement.

"Sure it is," Edward says with a laugh, shaking his head.

"Try it," I urge, dipping another fry in the Frosty and hold it out to him.

Edward cocks an eyebrow, looking at me suspiciously.

"Do you trust me?" I ask, my words echoing his from earlier, yet without the gravity of a super sexy situation surrounding us. It's just me, Edward, some fries and a Frosty.

He gives me a smirk and a wink before opening his mouth as I place the fry in it. Edward trusts me. He chews thoughtfully before pronouncing it, "damn good."

I smile, thinking that good things will continue to come, in more ways than one, if we both keep on trusting each other.

* * *

**A/N:** 1st: If you have never had french fries dipped in a Frosty/milkshake, drop what you're doing and go hit that shiz NAO!

2nd: Just a reminder that the fabby fab **Linzzer220** is hosting a read-a-long of The Hood on 5/10 - more info can be found here: http://theficbridge(DOT)blogspot(DOT)com (it will update some point on the 10th with the time for the read-a-long)

3rd: Instead of a Hood update, next week I'll be posting the new Stonerward outtake in the fic: **The Director's Cut **(It's his own unique take on chapter 7!)


	12. Corbin Fisher & Marshmallows

**A/N:** *Waves* Hi to all the peeps that found this fic in the last week or so...I'm still kinda amazed at all the fab folks who are reading along, reviewing and just enjoying my silly stoner fic. I heart you all - thanks so much for sticking around!

A bag full of marshmallowy thanks to Char for beta-ing this bad boy. Only a couple more days till you're close enough for me to come steal you so we can do some Stonerward activities of our own ;) Gin gets my love and her own big puffy marshmallow for prereading. You two continue to rock my world.

A special shout out of thanks to FDM for giving me one of my favorite lines in this chapter. Love you motek! 3

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high.

* * *

One more quick glance at the clock tells me we only have five more minutes left, so I start to gather my stuff up, much like everyone else is already doing.

"Please do not forget about your projects while on break!" Banner calls out over the clamor in the room. "While it is not due immediately following the break, now would be a good time to get a jump start on it."

Nobody is paying attention, and I have a feeling that not many people will even bother to look at the assignment over break, let alone start on it. The bell finally rings, and I zip out the door with Edward right behind me. Jasper is standing in the corridor waiting for us. He tugs both of us towards the lockers, away from photography class.

"What the hell Jasper? You'll make Edward late to his last class," I grumble, not wanting Edward to get a tardy slip.

"He won't be late," Jasper smirks, a wicked gleam in his eye.

Edward cocks an eyebrow, looking at Jasper.

"Because he's not going," Jasper says with a wink. "And you're not going to class either, Swan."

I look at him reproachfully, because really, is it such a great idea to skip the last class before break? I doubt that either Jasper or I will get in trouble because Mrs. Cope won't give a shit, but I don't want Edward getting screwed for skipping his math class. Before I'm able to tell Jasper that his idea is horribly irresponsible, Edward fist bumps Jasper and shouts out, "Hell yeah!"

_Yeah, there's no way that we're going to class now. _

I roll my eyes and make them walk to my locker first so I can grab a few things I'll need for break. We then head to Edward's locker so he can do the same and then make a bee line for the parking lot before anyone can catch us. We're half way there when One-Eyed Willy spots us. He starts waving his hands at us, shout for us to stop. Willy is the school's attempt at some sort of authority figure in the parking lot, though he's anything but. My guess is that they found him in the discount bin at the Rent-A-Cop store because Willy couldn't protect the school from an army of ants. He has one good eye and one eye that just...squints. I'm not sure if it's busted or that's just the way he is, but it's freaking weird. He sits in his beat up car all day, reading magazines and smoking cigarettes. Occasionally, he'll get off his ass and make the rounds to ensure that nobody's getting high in the parking lot or leaving school grounds without a note. Apparently, this is one of the few times he's chosen to actually do his job.

Instead of listening to him, we bolt and run towards Edward's car. I'm thankful that Edward picked me up today, so I don't have to worry about whether or not my truck will start. It's been finicky lately with all the cold weather we've been having. As we run, the slushy snow that coats the grounds flings up, soaking the bottom of my jeans, but I don't really care as long as we get out of here without him actually seeing who we are.

"Jasper," Edward hisses, low enough that Willy can't hear. "Get in my car. We can come back for yours later."

Jasper nods, and we make it to Edward's car just in time to see Willy round the corner. Edward unlocks the car, and we dive in, shutting the doors and putting our seatbelts on in record time. Edward has the car up and running and peels out of the parking lot, dirty snow spinning out from his tires. Edward drives a bit before slowing down and pulling into a nearby Starbucks.

"We did it!" shouts Jasper, clearly proud of our minor badassness.

"Jeez, my heart is racing," I say as I take some deep breaths to calm down.

Edward reaches over and holds my hand, rubbing soothing circles into it.

"Hot cocoa?" he asks, nodding towards the building in front of us.

I nod eagerly, glad that my boyfriend knows that a warm cup of hot chocolate will hit the spot and help calm me down. We end up going through the drivethru, and after five minutes, we're headed towards the Hood with cups of warm liquid in each of our hands. When we finally arrive at Aro's, it's no surprise that nobody else is there, since Marcus and Aro are probably still at school. We walk in and Jasper immediately heads to the small space heater, flicking it on. There's no heat in the place, so we all usually end up huddled around the small space heater or under the wool blankets Aro's mom has so thoughtfully left for us. Edward and I hunker down on the couch, and I pull a blanket over our laps, leaning into him for extra warmth. I reach into my bag and grab a knit hat, putting in on before taking a big sip of my hot cocoa, which warms me up from the inside out.

I close my eyes for a bit and enjoy the quiet peace of the moment, the only sounds coming from the creaky old heater and the thumping of Edward's heart that invading my ears as I lean on his chest. I hear the crackle of something burning and look up to see Jasper inhaling a lit joint. Edward shifts his body slightly as he leans over and grabs it from him. Instead of smoking first, he holds it up to my lips and I take a quick puff, exhaling the smoke after a second. While Edward smokes, Jasper hunts around for some snacks, finally finding a bag of Doritos that's still fresh. I decline them when he passes them my way, figuring that hot cocoa and Doritos isn't the best combination out there.

"What are you doing tonight?" Edward asks through crunchy bites.

"Me?" I ask, making sure he wasn't asking Jasper.

I can feel Edward's body shake with laughter as he hums out a "yes."

"Oh. I'm actually going to Alice's place for, um, a sleepover," I share.

I know that probably sounds super childlike, but Alice has made me promise that I sleep over at least once during our winter break, so I figure I might as well get it over with sooner than later. I turn my head slightly to look up at Edward and see that he's having some sort of secret conversation with Jasper.

"What?" I ask, tugging on his jacket.

"Hm? Oh, nothing. I was, um...just making plans with Jasper. Since Alice is busy, we'll probably just do a move night or something."

I nod my head and take another sip of my hot cocoa. I wonder if they'll have a sleepover as well and then start to giggle at the mental image I conjure up of Edward and Jasper in flannel pajamas, snuggled into sleeping bags next to each other.

"What's so funny?" Edward asks, his mouth dangerously close to my ear, and suddenly nothing seems funny.

I shake my head because I'm afraid if I say anything it will come out like a squeak, and by moving my head back and forth there's a good chance that I'll feel Edward's lips.

_Jackpot!_

His lips graze the shell of my ear, causing a burst of shivers to run down my spine. I bite my lip, suppressing the moan that wants to escape. I turn my head slightly, hoping for a kiss.

"Keep it in your pants, Cullen!" Jasper shouts out before I'm even able to reach Edward's lips. "Or should I say...Swan?"

I reach down next to me and grab a pillow, tossing it at Jasper but missing completely. Jasper bursts into a laugh resembling a donkey, and I keep pelting him with anything I can find. Jasper tosses a magazine at me and soon it's an all out war with things flying everywhere. Eventually, all three of us tire ourselves out just in time for Aro and Marcus to come back.

"What the fuck?" Aro grumbles as he walks in, stepping over an old pizza box that I had used as a shield. "This place is not a pigsty, motherfuckers. Respect!"

I have the decency to look sheepish, while Edward just shrugs and Jasper gives Aro the finger. I get off the couch and start cleaning up and smack both Edward and Jasper to get them to help me. They both do so begrudgingly, and within a few minutes, we have the place back to the only mild grunge-factor before our impromptu fight. We all hang out together for a bit longer before I need to get going. Alice insists I come over for dinner and after some back and forth texting, says that I can even bring Edward and Jasper along with me. After saying our goodbyes, we drop Jasper off at the school parking lot so he can get his car. Edward drives me to my house, and I run in to quickly pack an overnight bag. I'm back outside within a few minutes, knowing if I let Edward join me inside that we will never make it to Alice's, and while I wouldn't be upset with that, I would then need to face the wrath of Alice.

When we show up to Alice's house, Jasper's car is already there. After knocking on the door for five minutes, I finally text her.

"Where the fuck are they?" Edward asks just as I press send.

Finally, I hear somebody racing down the stairs and the door opens, a flushed looking Alice peeking out from the other side. Her hair is all mussed up and her shirt is slightly askew. The smirk on her face makes me decide not to even ask what she was just doing. As she herds us in and takes my overnight bag, Jasper walks down the stairs slowly. In fact, it's like he's moseying, a lazy grin on his face. The kid looks blissed out. I wonder if he just smoked.

"Pizza's in the kitchen!" Alice shouts, and both Jasper and Edward make a beeline for the other room, leaving us in their dust.

Alice tosses my bag in the living room and clasps my hand, dragging me towards the kitchen with her. Against my better judgement, my curiosity gets the better of me as I ask her what the fuck is up with Jasper.

"Oh, yeah," she giggles. "That. I just gave him a blowjob."

She grins widely, and I just shake my head. We make it into the kitchen in time to see an entire half of one of the pies already gone. How the hell do these guys do it? They're both on the lean side too, so I have no clue where they pack it away.

"Here," Edward says through bites. "I saved you some. It's sausage, your favorite."

"You like sausage?" Alice asks, an evil twinkle in her eye.

"I, um...yes. On pizza!" I shout out at the last second, trying to clarify.

The boys are none the wiser as they stuff their face, but Alice is totally trying to rile me up.

"I like sausage, too," she says, picking a piece off the slice and popping it in her mouth. "I love how meaty it is."

I can feel my cheeks heating up and stuff my face with a large bite of pizza so I don't say anything stupid in response. Thankfully, the boys move the conversation onto something else and soon we're making a few more plans for the rest of break. Apparently, sledding is at the top of their list, and I'm already cringing at the multiple opportunities I'll have to hurt myself with that endeavor. Finally, the pizza is all eaten and Alice kicks the boys out, demanding girl time. I walk Edward to the door and kiss him goodbye, knowing I'll see him tomorrow most likely since I hear Jasper say that they'll be over for breakfast. We wave our goodbyes and the door slams behind them. I walk over to the living to grab my bag and bring it upstairs to Alice's bedroom. Before I'm able to step foot into the living room, though I'm stopped by Alice.

"Bella Swan," she says accusingly. "Have you ever given a blowjob before?"

"What?" I ask, wondering why she needs to know this. "I...uh...no...what? It's none of your business!"

I run into the living room and flop down onto the couch, hiding in embarrassment. Alice doesn't let up, but her voice is a more gentle now.

"It's no big deal. I mean, if you haven't done it before."

"I'm just...uh!" I shout out in frustration. "I don't know. I kind of want to. But I'm worried that I'll suck at it...no pun intended."

Alice is giggling and shaking her head.

"That's the point, Bella. To suck!"

I wait out her gigglefit until she finally stops .

"But yeah, I feel you. It is kind of daunting. But trust me when I say that a boy will be eternally grateful if you just put your mouth on their dick. Everything else is icing on the cake."

"That's the problem, Alice," I admit. "I don't know what the 'everything else,' actually entails. I mean, I have an idea but..."

I trail off as I curl myself into a ball on the couch, embarrassed and frustrated all at the same time. Alice sits there next to me nodding her head, understanding what I'm saying. Then, out of nowhere, her hand flies up to her mouth and her eyes widen.

"Oh! I have an idea!"

Before I'm able to get her to explain what this fabulous idea is, she's grabbing me and we're headed back to the kitchen. Alice quickly whips up some hot cocoa and grabs a few different supplies for snacks. Then, I follow her to her room where we spread everything out.

"Will you tell me what we're doing now?" I ask, hoping she won't be showing me how to give a blowjob with a piece of produce or anything.

"We're going to watch a movie!" she exclaims as she boots up her computer.

I relax knowing we're going to watch a movie, but then I narrow my eyes, looking at the site Alice is on. It has pictures of half-naked men and...men.

"What kind of movie, Alice?"

"Oh, it's a Corbin Fischer one," she says nonchalantly. "One of my friends from school, Garrett, gave me his account info so I can watch when I want. That kid sure does love his gay porn."

"Gay porn?" I squeak out. "This is your brilliant idea?"

"Gay boys know how to give better blow jobs, Bella. I mean, they come with an owner's manual and everything," she says with a wink.

I think about it for a second and can't really come up with a good response. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't even the least bit curious. Maybe this will be a good way to get some pointers for when I finally go there with Edward. I shrug and allow Alice to keep going. Settling into the couch near the computer, I take a few sips of my hot cocoa, thankful Alice remembered I like extra marshmallows.

As Alice presses play, I wonder what movie Edward's watching and whether or not he's about to watch one boy suck another one off. For some reason, I don't think he is. I try to focus on the screen. There are two boys, and they look like they just stepped out of an Abercrombie and Fitch catalogue. They're both shirtless and wearing cargo shorts. One of them has shaggy hair that sort of reminds me of Edward. They're tossing around a football and it seems pretty tame. I reach behind Alice for the jar of marshmallow fluff she has stashed there. Apparently, I haven't reached my marshmallow quota yet between the earlier hot cocoa, the one I have in my hands now, and the fluff I'm currently spreading on a graham cracker.

"Oh," Alice breathes out, her eyes fixed on the screen.

I look up from my graham cracker and see what she's looking at. While I've been fixing myself a snack, the plot has apparently thickened over in boy-smexin land. The two boys are now inside a bedroom; the only furnishing is a red futon and a side table with a lamp. One of them is laying on the futon, his shirt already off and his peen peeking out of his jeans. Actually, it looks like it's smooshed between his stomach and his jeans, which can't be super comfy, but he's moaning obscenities with his eyes closed and a smile on his face, so I guess he's okay with it.

Then, the blonder guy starts to hover over him and rips off the other guy's jeans. _Oh my. _Now his peen is completely exposed for the world to see, which is the point of this thing, I guess. It lands to the side, and I find myself transfixed on it, unable to look away.

"It's so...floppy," I say in a whisper.

Alice giggles and nods her head.

"I know," she agrees. "It kind of looks like a big worm or something. I dunno, it's kind of cute."

I look at Alice like she's bonkers, but whatever. I go back to watching as the blond guy's head moves down to the other guy's crotch. He starts to sniff the guy's peen.

"Alice," I say, poking her to her attention. "Why the hell is he smelling it? That is totally weird. I can't imagine it smells all that nice anyway. Probably like gym socks."

Alice snorts and shakes her head.

"Nah, not like gym socks, but kinda musky. I don't know. It helps if they've recently showered. Jasper knows I won't give him head if he's been out running or playing frisbee or whatever. I am a lady, you know."

I start to laugh but turn my attention back to the screen. Clearly, I have a lot to learn. The one guy is now in full-on blow job mode, positioned right between the other one's legs. He starts by licking the tip and then alternates between licking and kissing down the shaft before he plunges his mouth down over the entire thing. _Holy shit! _He's not choking though, so he must have some secret magic trick for doing that. His nose is literally in the other guy's pubes, and I can't figure out how he still manages to breathe while he's got that huge dick that far down his throat. I must have squeaked or something because Alice seems to notice my shocked expression.

"Yeah, deep throating is kind of awesome, isn't it? I'm just about able to do that with Jas."

I refuse to acknowledge that Alice just said she deep throats my friend, and instead, I turn my attention back to the movie. Somehow, in the span of five seconds, both guys are naked and are facing away from each other, each with a eyeful, and apparently, mouthful, of peen in front of them.

"This is called a sixty-nine, Bella," Alice whispers, and I pinch her, because really? Does she not think I know what that is?

I watch with fascination as the guys go for it, licking and slurping and moaning all over the place. It looks kind of tricky, and they're not able to go down on each other as far from the position they're in. However, whatever they can't fit into their mouths they make up for with their hands. I feel like I should be taking notes or something. I crane my neck a bit, tilting my head to the side to get a better view, watching as one of the guys hollows out his cheeks and seems to somehow create a vacuum with his mouth. The other guy seems to dig that because he thrusts his hips up at a furious pace, and I pray that the guy giving the apparently kick ass blow job doesn't choke.

"Hey," Alice whispers, nudging me in the side.

"What?" I whisper back, even though it's only us so we're not actually disturbing anyone, and it's not like we'll miss an important plot point by having a conversation.

"Um..." Alice starts, and it's uncharacteristic of her to be so shy. "Is Edward smaller or bigger than these guys?"

I gape at her, completely shocked that she asked me that question.

"I dunno," I shrug, totally mortified. "I mean, it's not like I've measured it or anything."

Alice snorts before sipping some of her hot cocoa.

"I'm sure he's measured it," she says with a laugh.

"What!" I shriek, putting down my cocoa before it spills everywhere.

"Yup. I know Jasper measured his, so I'm pretty sure Edward's done it too. No biggie."

"Ew, that's kind of gross. What do they measure it with?"

"I dunno." Alice shrugs. "A ruler?"

We both burst out into laughter, but now I'm watching the guys on the screen more intently and trying to figure out if Edward is indeed bigger. It's hard to tell since I've only seen his peen once before, and really, I was too blissed out from his skillful fingers to be committing it to memory. The guys on the screen get into a another position so I can see their peens better, and I try to conjure up the image of Edward's peen.

"I think his peen is a bit bigger then that guys," I say, pointing to one of the boys. "So, maybe the same size as that guy's? But not as thick?"

I can't believe I'm sharing the details of Edward's peen with Alice, let alone comparing it to the dudes in the gay porn.

"Mhmm," nods Alice as she squints at the screen. "Yeah, I think Jasper is the same size as this guy's and a little thicker. I'm actually excited for it to fill me up!"

I snort, spraying the sip of hot cocoa I just took all over the place.

"Alice! What the fuck!"

Alice just looks and me and giggles like it's no big deal. I shake my head and try to ignore her, but now I just have this mental image of Jasper's peen in my head and I just can't shake it. After a few more minutes of watching the guys jerk each other off, I turn to Alice.

"Edward is totally hairier than these guys."

"Oh, yeah. That's because gay porn dudes totally manscape. And high school boys? Yeah, they totally don't."

"Manscape?" I ask, vaguely remembering hearing that term before.

"Yeah, it's like the guy equivalent of vagascaping."

"Vaga-what-now?"

I don't think I want to know, but I've already released the beast as Alice's eyes brighten up with excitement.

"Oh, come on Bella. Vagascaping! It's what you do to your pubes to keep them all nice and tidy. I prefer to wax, but I leave a small triangle of hair because going all bare kind of creeps me out. What do you do?"

"I...um...nothing?"

And even as the words leave my lips, I know it's the wrong answer. Alice looks at me wide-eyed and blinks a few times, her mouth dropping open for good measure.

"And what did Edward say?" she asks in disbelief.

I can feel the embarrassment creep up through my neck and spread like wildfire into the tips of my ears. _Fuck!_ Edward didn't say anything but maybe he thought it? Maybe he thought my bush was like some crazy-ass wild beast, untamed and gnarly.

"Nothing," I mumble, suddenly super ashamed.

"Oh," Alice says brightly, and I turn to look at her. "Then he probably doesn't give a shit. Not all guys do, seriously."

I stare at her for a few more seconds, and I can tell she's being sincere, so I let it go and return my focus to the boys on the screen, who are still moaning and groaning their hearts out.

"Oh, what the fuck?" I shout, my hand flying up to cover my eyes.

Next to me, Alice snickers.

"Yeah. That. Um, you don't need to do that, and I bet Edward would freak out if you did it without any warning. Or maybe not," she adds thoughtfully. "I mean, he might enjoy it. It kind of tickles...but odds are that he has never had that done to him and it's not something he'd miss."

_It kind of tickles? _I don't even want to know how Alice has that kind of information. I peek between my fingers, and sure enough, one of the guys still has his ass in the air while the other one's tongue is thrusting in and out of it. After a few minutes of that, somebody's mouth is on the other one's balls, just licking and slurping and tugging away.

"Balls are kind of ugly," I say through a fit of giggles.

I don't even mean to say it aloud, but I can't help it, watching the pendulous sacks sway heavily. I'd totally be poking them right now if that was me.

"Yeah, they are. They're super weird," Alice agrees.

"So..." I hedge as the boys head into territory that I'm pretty sure I don't need to take notes on for my relationship with Edward. "Was it super freaky the first time you gave a blowjob?"

Alice pops a spoonful of fluff into her mouth before answering.

"Yeah. I mean, it was actually kind of gross. I didn't really think about the fact that the guy was gonna jizz in my mouth, and it tasted nasty and I spit it out all over his dick. That sort of pissed him off," she shrugs. "Live and learn."

I hadn't even thought about the whole spit versus swallow debate, and I add that to my list of things to obsess over. After a few more minutes of watching the boys ride each other, Alice turns it off and instead turns on her TV. We watch some inane supposed reality show on MTV, but soon end up crawling into Alice's bed, more than ready to fall asleep.

"Thanks, Alice," I whisper, my eyelids feeling droopy.

"No problem, Bella. You can just have Edward thank me later," she says with a laugh as we both drift off to sleep.

* * *

**A/N:** In case you missed it, I posted the StonerwardPOV of chapter 7 in the outtake fic, Director's Cut.

Also - Lara & I (finally!) updated That's What We Said - our crazy collab that we've got going on, under the name AwkwardYoga. Link in my profile.


	13. Coen Brothers & Coffee

**A/N:** I am continually blown away at the support and love this story gets. Thank you all for your fab reviews, alerts, favs, etc... xo

A tall White Russian all for Char, for working her beta magic on this puppy - thanks love! xo And big thanks to the prereaders for this chapter - Gin & Caren - I want to lick your sprinkles (wait...that doesn't sound right. Nah...it totally does. *snicker*)

This chapter is a mini homage to some of the fabulous flicks of the Coen Brothers. There are a bunch of 'hidden' references to their movies throughout the chapter - can you spot them all? ;)

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high.

* * *

"Edward Cullen!" I shriek, my arms out in front of me in self defense. "If you even think about throwing that, there will be serious repercussions!"

Edward just smirks at me, tossing the perfectly made snowball that he's holding from one hand to the other, inching closer to where I'm standing. I look to my left and then to my right, but there's really no place to go without running into a pile of snow. Edward has me effectively cornered, and I think he likes it. Something shiny catches my eye, and I glance a little bit behind Edward quickly and hide the smile that's itching to break free. Instead of running, I circle back a bit so Edward is now standing right in front of me. Before he's able to even launch his snowball, however, Alice pelts him right in the head, catching him totally by surprise.

I break into a fit of giggles. Edward's still trying to figure out what the hell just happened, and his startled look is priceless. The fact that he now has a snowball melting into his hair doesn't hurt either. I'm about to thank Alice for her stealthy snowball tactics when, without warning, Edward turns towards me and rushes forward, plowing into me and taking us both to the ground.

"Ed...ward..." I laugh out as I gasp for air, my fists landing not-so-tough blows to his jacket. "Mother...fucker!"

I'm not really mad, but I _am_ wet, so I keep pounding at him to let me up. Edward isn't having any of it though, and he presses himself onto me further, ensuring that my back is completely covered in snow. My coat rises up just a little from behind, and I can feel the icy cold wetness start to numb each bit of skin it touches. My cheeks are flushed from the cold, and I can barely feel my nose. I've only been out here twenty minutes while Alice and I waited for the boys to finally show up for breakfast, but apparently it's been twenty minutes too long. I wiggle around a bit underneath his grasp, but he's not letting go but I'm not all that certain I actually want him to. Because, to be honest, the view from down here isn't too shabby. Edward's face is breathtaking as his eyes light up, crinkled at the side as he smiles big. His cheeks are rosy from the chilly weather and the snow that had fallen on him has dripped onto his face, causing the barely there scruff on his chin to shimmer.

My eyes trail down his body to see his chest heaving up and down with excitement. Before my eyes can look even lower, I feel a burst of heat and look up to see Edward's face now directly in front of mine. I can feel his icy cold fingers as they spread out against the expanse of skin that's exposed by my hips and I shiver at his touch. His tongue flicks out to wet his lips before he smirks.

"Cold?" he asks with a wink.

"Mmhmm," I sigh because I _am_ cold, that's not a lie, despite the heat that's suddenly pooling in my belly.

Before I'm able to figure out how much longer I can lay in the snow without losing a finger or toe to frostbite, Edward leans in to kiss me, our lips creating a fog of heat amidst the frosty air. His tongue flicks out, and I suck it into my mouth, because really, he shouldn't go sticking that thing out like that. I can't help myself. Once I've sucked it into my mouth I'm not exactly sure what to do with it, and it actually seems kind of gross. I let go and just kiss him back, glad he doesn't say anything about my momentary lapse in kissing judgment. Just as his icy fingers inch further up my skin I hear a _THWAP!_ and bits of freezing slush drip onto my forehead. Edward whips himself off me, his head spinning around to see where that came from.

"Bulls-eye suckers!" shouts Jasper as he doubles over with laughter.

Edward bends back down towards me briefly, his hands reaching above my head. I think he's going to kiss me again and pucker my lips up, only to be slightly disappointed when he just brushes my forehead with a chaste kiss before jumping off of me. I don't even have a moment to pout about it because Edward runs away, heading after Jasper with two large snowballs in his hands. After racing halfway across Alice's huge lawn, he finally pelts him, getting most of the icy snow in Jasper's already messy hair.

"Silly boys," giggles Alice as she walks over and offers her hand to me.

I grab it, and she helps me up. I feel some of the snow slide down the waistband of my pants, and it feels freaking cold. I need to get inside, stat. Alice is on the same wavelength since she pulls me by the hand towards the house.

"The boys will figure it out," she says with a snort.

Thankfully, Alice's house is toasty warm, and within minutes, I begin to thaw out. I hang my coat up so it can dry off and go meet Alice in the kitchen where she's started preparing breakfast. There's a large bowl of fruit salad already cut up, and Alice is sticking something in the oven to heat up.

"Where are your folks?" I ask, looking around.

"Oh, Saturdays are their mornings to sleep in. Which really means they hang out in bed and read the paper and watch TV and lord knows what else until like noon. I'm usually working in my studio in the garage or I go out. No biggie," she shrugs.

It might seem like no biggie to Alice, but I would probably have a mini freak out if I found Charlie lounging in bed until noon on a Saturday. Glancing at the clock, I see it is half past ten. Knowing Charlie, he is probably over at La Push already, hours into an ice fishing expedition.

"When the heck are they going to come in?" Alice asks, peering out the kitchen window at the boys, who are still mid snowball war. "It's freaking colder than Fargo out there right now."

I grin, nodding my head in agreement.

"Who knows? They seem to be having too much fun."

I can't really blame them. This is the first big snowstorm of the year. It's snowed before but nothing super significant, just enough to get all dirty and slushy and yucky. When Alice and I woke up this morning, however, we were shocked at the blanket of snow that carpeted outside. I take another look outside. Everything is pristine and gorgeous. Despite the cold, I didn't even mind waiting so long for the boys to show up. But...now that they're here, I want them inside. I walk over to the sliding porch door and bang on it as gently as possible. The guys finally look over, and I wave for them to come in. The kitchen is slowly starting to smell like sweet cinnamon, and I know whatever Alice has in the oven will be ready soon.

I turn back to Alice and ask if I can help her with anything. She hands me a few dishes so I can set the table. As I place the silverware next to each plate, I can't help but giggle. This almost seems like a brunch double date, and that feels sort of grown up. I roll my eyes at myself as Jasper and Edward finally stumble in from outside, looking nothing like adults. They both have cherry red circles dotting their cheeks. Edward's hair is sticking up in all sorts of directions, looking crazier than usual, while half of Jasper's blond curls are plastered to the side of his head. Edward has his arm around Jasper, pulling him into a half headlock, and Jasper is pulling and pushing at Edward's waist in retaliation. As Jasper squirms to get out of Edward's grasp, I have a sudden flashback to last night, remembering the video that Alice and I watched. My cheeks flame up, and I make a noise, somewhat resembling a cross between a moan and a squeak.

And, because God hates me, both boys choose that moment to stop what they're doing and stare at me.  
_  
Crap._

"Um..." I stammer, trying to come up with anything to avoid whatever awkwardness is sure to ensue. "Coffee or tea?"

I mentally slap myself for sounding like a fucking stewardess. Flight attendant? Well, whatever the hell they call themselves now. As my brain rambles on about the various terms for those who choose to fly the friendly skies, I hear a fit of laughter in front of me. I look over and see Jasper and Edward peeling off their boots and laughing, possibly at me, but who knows at this point. Instead of waiting for an answer, I fly back into the kitchen to let Alice know the guys are finally inside.

She's just finishing up a pan of sausage when the timer on the oven goes off. I toss her some oven mitts and watch with awe as Alice pulls the most delicious smelling thing out. I peer over her shoulder to see what it is.

"Boozy french toast," she says with a wink. "Although, all the alcohol actually cooks out, but it still tastes effing awesome!"

"It smells fantastic," I say while grabbing the bowl of fruit and the cooked sausage.

We bring the food into the other room where the boys have already seated themselves at the table.

"No, really...make yourselves at home," Alice admonishes while I giggle.

She's not really upset, but that doesn't stop her from lovingly swatting Jasper on the back of his head as she passes by him.

"This looks fucking amazing, Alice," Edward says with wide eyes.

Both Jasper and Edward are almost drooling, looking at all the food Alice has prepared. I lean towards Edward to pass him the fruit and catch a whiff of pot that I didn't smell earlier. The boys must have smoked up while we were inside. No wonder they look like they could eat a lion right about now. While they start to fill their plates, Alice pops back into the kitchen for a moment and returns with a carafe of coffee. Food is passed around and coffee is poured, and for the next few minutes nobody speaks, but it's definitely not quiet. Sounds of lips smacking and satisfied groans fill the air, and there is even a growl when Edward and Jasper fight over the last sausage.

While Alice and I are still working on our first pieces of french toast, the boys have managed to nearly devour everything else and look like they can still pack some more food away, if given the chance. Instead, Alice instructs them to bring their dishes into the kitchen while we finish up, and miraculously, they listen. After the food is all gone, I help Alice put away the rest of the dirty dishes before we all flop down on the large leather couches in Alice's living room. Jasper and Alice are cuddled together on the love seat while Edward and I lounge on the larger couch.

"So..." Alice starts, her gaze going back and forth between the boys. "What did you two do last night?"

Edward shrugs, and I can feel his body move beneath mine. I'm laying so my back rests against his chest, his legs spread out around my own. He's absentmindedly rubbing patterns onto my arm, and I smile at how comfortable it all feels.

"Not much," answers Jasper as he shifts to put his arm around Alice, drawing her closer. "Played video games, watched a movie. You know, the regular boring shit. What about you girls?"

"Nothing special," says Alice with a giggle, and I can't help but snicker as well.

"Well, well, well...that laugh and the blush on Swan's cheeks tell me otherwise," snarks Jasper, and I immediately throw my hand up to my face, feeling the warm blush that betrays me at every chance it gets.

"Now you have to tell us," says Edward, finally entering the conversation. "It must be good!"

His hands come around to land at my waist and start to tickle me slowly.

"Tell me, Bella, or this goes full blow tickle assault," Edward threatens.

I start to writhe in his lap, since even just the light ghosting of his fingertips against my sensitive skin feels like too much, and I really don't need Alice and Jasper to see the effects of a full blown tickle torture right now. I clasp my hands over Edward's knowing that it won't really matter if he doesn't want to stop on his own.

"Fine, fine, you win! We dressed up in our nighties, braided each others' hair and did our make up. We sat around talking about boys, and then Alice said how she'd totally do Justin Timberlake, and I got mad because I told her that he was mine, and it ended up in a pillow fight..." I trailed off, trying to keep up a sincere tone.

"One thing led to another..." Alice adds, biting her lip to keep the laughter at bay. "Bella's nightie slipped off her shoulder just a bit, and..."

"AND WHAT?" Jasper shouts out, as he almost shakes the rest of the story out of Alice.

Edward doesn't say anything, but if the peen in his pants could talk, it would be crying out alongside Jasper. Instead, it's just attempting to break free from the confines of Edward's pants, completely at full attention.

"And nothing, you big perv," Alice ends with, pelting Jasper with a nearby cushion.

I can't keep it in anymore, and both Alice and I break out into a fit of giggles.

"Seriously. Do you really think that's what girls do at sleepovers?" I ask Edward, rolling my eyes and turning around to look at him.

"No," he huffs, then under his breath I hear him say, "...maybe."

I snicker and poke him in the leg as I shake my head. My sleep over with Alice might not have been rated PG-13 exactly, but it was definitely nothing like what Edward and Jasper are apparently fantasizing about.

"Sorry, guys. No naughty sleepover making out, at least on our part," Alice says through another fit of giggles, and thankfully, it seems the boys didn't quite hear the end of her sentence. "We hung around and talked and watched a movie. Just like you guys."

"What'd you watch?" asks Jasper, and I quickly look at Alice for help answering. Thankfully, she's got it covered.

"Who knows," she says dismissively. "You know how girls can be. Bella and I were talking through most of it anyway. I do remember that it had sports in it. Maybe football...or was it wrestling? There were definitely sweaty boys involved though."

At this point, I can't help it; my giggles turn into a full blown laugh attack. My eyes are stinging with unshed tears, and I'm laughing so hard that donkey-like brays are coming out of my mouth. I clamp my hand over my mouth to try and stifle them, but it just makes it worse. Finally, I'm able to calm down enough to give Alice an evil glare. She just smirks at me and shrugs like it was no big deal. Both Edward and Jasper are looking at me strangely, and I mumble something about the movie being a comedy, but the look I get from Edward lets me know I'm not quite off the hook.

"Enough about last night," I say, trying to distract everyone. "What's the plan for today?"

That gets everyone thinking, and soon each person in the room has their own idea of what we should be doing on our first full day of school break.

"Let's go bowling!" Jasper exclaims, excited with his idea.

"Eh..." I hedge, knowing that there are way too many chances at hurting myself when a big, heavy ball is involved.

"Nah," replies Edward with a shake of his head. "Remember last time? That jackass in the ridiculous purple jumpsuit got all up in my face for not polishing my ball or some shit."

"Yes!" shouts Jasper, slapping his leg excitedly. "That man was totally creeptastic, looking at us funny and shaking his ass when he bent over to take his turn. He kept calling himself The Jesus. It was totally fucked up. Fine...no bowling."

"We could always go shopping..." Alice says wistfully, even though she knows that idea is getting shut down by all three of us within seconds of her even mentioning it. "Fine. You guys suck, just so you know."

Jasper leans over and kisses Alice on the forehead, whispering something quietly to her. Her lips curl up into a smile and she seems placated for the moment. I'm pretty sure that i don't want to know what he said to her.

"I wish it were summer," I say with a sigh. "There are a million things we could be doing outside then. We could go for a hike or a bike ride, go swimming or even hula hoop!"

"Hula hoop?" Edward repeats, poking me a little in the ribs. "For some reason, I just can't see you hula hooping."

"I'll have you know I'm a hula hooping champ. My hips could shimmy circles around you."

Edward snorts, and I hear him murmur something that sounds like "I wish," but I let it go, not wanting to fall victim to round two of tickle torture.

"You know, Swan," Jasper says, diverting my attention from Edward. "It doesn't have to be summer for us to have fun outside."

"That's true," agrees Edward. "Hey! Why don't we get all our shit back on and head over to Hellion's Hill? Alice, you've got to have a few sleds laying around in the garage or something, no?"

Alice nods enthusiastically and jumps up, running out of the room at warp speed. She comes back a few minutes later with a armful of hats, scarfs and mittens. After bundling up, we head into the kitchen where she pours the rest of the still hot coffee into a thermos.

"Oh!" she exclaims, as if something just occurred to her. "Let's add a little extra something - something to warm us up."

Alice reaches into the pantry and grabs some vanilla Stoli and pours a few generous shots into the thermos along with a couple splashes of cream.

"Good thinking, doll," Jasper says with a kiss to the top of Alice's head. "It's almost like a White Russian."

We all nod in agreement then head out to the garage with Jasper holding the door open for us.

"Aw, such a gentleman," Alice coos at him, slapping his ass as she walks by.

"I'm bonafide!" Jasper drawls in a horribly exaggerated Southern accent.

I just shake my head, muttering my thanks as I pass and watch as Edward punches Jasper on the shoulder when he walks by.

"Bonafide pussy, maybe," Edward snorts, which prompts Jasper to jump up on Edward's back, shouting something unintelligible.

Leaving the guys to fight it out, I meet up with Alice in the garage, and we find two long blue plastic sleds and one tube-like one. We're able to pile all three in the back of Jasper's SUV, and within minutes, we're headed off to Hellion's Hill. I'm pretty sure that the large expanse of mountain side we're driving towards has another name, and it's probably something more serene, but the locals have dubbed it Hellion's Hill since each winter it gets overrun with kids looking for a fun, fast and potentially dangerous sledding experience. There are a few spots where the terrain isn't as tricky, and I'm crossing fingers and toes that we'll head there since I don't think today is the day I'm ready to lose a limb or an eye.

Before we unload from the car, Alice breaks out the thermos, and we all take turns sipping from it and passing it around. Jasper only takes one sip since he's driving, but between Edward, Alice and myself, we polish the rest of the thermos off before heading out. Despite the icy air that whips in my face when I step outside, I'm actually feeling quite warm. Whether it's the actual coffee, the booze or Edward's arms wrapped around me, I can't be sure, but I'm thankful for all three. The boys are in charge of the sleds, and we trudge up the slanted hill through the snow, making our way to the top. There are only a few other people on the hill we're on, and they head down before us. When it's clear to go, Jasper shouts out a war cry as he runs forward quickly before flopping face first onto the snow tube and careening down the side of the hill. He's going remarkably fast, which unnerves me just a bit.

Alice goes next, taking one of the long blue sleds. She sits inside and grabs onto a yellow rope to steer while Edward gives her a starting push down. Edward and I are up next. I'm glad we're going together, since I figure with him steering there's less of a chance I'll kill myself getting down the mountain. I crawl up to the front of the sled and Edward takes hold of the yellow rope before Pushing us off with a running start then hopping in behind me. I squeal and cry out as we speed down the mountain, the cold wind slapping me in the face. It's totally fun though and in a moment of sheer excitement and perhaps slight drunkenness, I toss my hands up and wave them in the air. That throws us a bit off as we near the bottom of the mountain, and when I pull them down quickly, I thrust my body to the side which causes us to somehow flip over. Edward and I both flop out into the snow, laughing the entire time. I just lay there for a second, enjoying the rest.

"Bella?" Edward asks, sounding slightly concerned. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm great. Just taking a breather."

Edward flops down next to me and stares up at the sky. Since the snow stopped falling, the sky has opened up to a beautiful bright blue and you can see it clearly through the tall pine trees nearby. I'm only slightly aware that my coat is probably soaking right through, but I don't really care.

"You must be shivering," Edward says before jumping up.

I don't want to go right away, so when Edward pulls over the sled, I stop him and lay down in it. He gets the idea and scoots me around so now he's laying down in the sled and I'm propped on top of him. My face is almost touching his, and his vanilla-scented breath is pulling me closer. I lean in for a kiss, but before I can, Edward nips out at me, gently pulling my lower lip with his teeth. It stings a bit at first, but then it kinda feels good, and I sigh in response. Edward seems to like that noise because his hands come around and cup my ass. Since my butt is kind of numb from laying in the snow I can barely feel it when he squeezes, but I'm sure it feels nice.

I burrow into Edward a little bit more, enjoying the warmth created between us. He sucks at my earlobe and the heat from his mouth feels nice, but as soon as he pulls his lips away, the icy breeze causes my ear to sting. I bend closer to him and kiss his cheek, flicking my tongue out to lick at the stubble there.

"That's cold," Edward mumbles his mouth near my ear.

"Sorry," I whisper, but I'm not sorry enough, since I do it again and again.

Edward's hand comes up and tilts my head so our lips are aligned, and he kisses mine fiercely. My eyes flutter shut as we kiss, and his hands go back to cupping my ass, pulling me closer to him. I'm vaguely aware of what's going on around us. I hear hoots and hollers from other people sliding down the hill, but all I can focus on is the feel of Edward's coffee-laced lips melding with mine and the brush of his tongue, rough but sweet against my own. I squirm, wanting more contact, and Edward responds, thrusting his hips into mine. Only, when he does, I can feel how hard he is, and his peen ends up pressing right against my bladder. My overly full, about-to-explode bladder.

"Shit!" I shout out as I jump up.

I'm totally about to pee my pants and look around frantically, as if by some chance, a magic port-o-potty has suddenly popped up in the woods.

"What's wrong?" Edward asks, by my side immediately.

"I have to pee," I whine, looking all around me for help.

At that moment Alice and Jasper sled down near us and walk over.

"What's with the wee-wee dance, Swan?" Jasper asks with a laugh, which just causes me to whine even more as I cross my legs, super certain that I actually feel pee trying to escape.

"Shut the fuck up, dude," Edward growls as he smacks Jasper upside the head. "She actually has to take a leak."

"Oh no!" gasps Alice as she comes towards me. "Come with me."

I have no choice, so I hobble towards her, trying to keep the flow of pee inside me. She leads me further into the woods and fishes into her purse before pulling out some napkins.

"Okay, I'll try and cover you while you squat and do your business."

I want to protest. I want to explain to Alice why it is not really a good idea for me to be popping a squat in the middle of a snowy mountain at the moment. I'm a little tipsy and my balance is certainly not at its best. There is also the very good chance that I could freeze an ass cheek off. I'm pretty sure that frostbite on the ass is not something to mess with. But my need to pee far outweighs any of that, and that is why I find myself, only seconds later, with my pants down around my ankles as I hover over the ground. Of course, when I finally have the chance to pee, nothing comes out.

"Come on, Bella, get on with it," Alice urges.

I wish it were that easy.

"I'm going, I'm going!"

And finally...I do.

_Ahhhhhhh... _

It feels like sweet relief as I finally pee. It feels super warm coming out of me, and I'm almost certain that when it hits the ground some steam rises in the air. Totally weird. Once I start, however, I can't stop, and the stream continues on with no end in sight. My eyes close upon reflex, and when I hear a slight buzzing sound, I pay it no mind until the sound of Jasper shouting causes me to look up.

"Nice ass, Swan!"

I peer around, and Alice is nowhere to be found. I whip my head to the other side to see her on her phone, completely oblivious to the fact that my pasty white ass is now on display for everyone to see. I quickly wipe and pull my pants up, tumbling over into the snow as I do so. Thankfully, I fall away from the bright yellow circle now seeping into the once pristine snow.  
_  
Motherfucker.  
_  
Alice rushes over, uttering eight million apologizes and I just shake my head not wanting to hear it. I'm beyond embarrassed and really don't want to go back to face Edward and Jasper, but I reluctantly allow Alice to lead me over there. Edward looks at me with a mixture of amusement and pity in his eyes. Fabulous.

"Can we just go home?" I mumble, not really feeling up to sledding anymore.

Alice starts to nod, but Edward just shakes his head, and it makes me feel worse for ruining his fun. I look at him, starting to apologize for my buzz kill attitude when he shakes his head again and holds his finger up to his lips to silence me. I try to figure out what he's up to and just watch him as he walks slowly behind Jasper. Without any warning, he grabs onto Jasper's pants and pulls them down until they're all the way down to his shoes.

"What the fuck?" Jasper shouts, turning around to look at Edward.

As he does, it's glaringly obvious that Jasper neglected to wear any underwear today and his bare ass is on display for everyone on the mountain to see.

"Now you're even," Edward says with a impish grin.

Jasper starts to run after him, things swinging that I really don't need to see. He trips and stumbles over his own pants before pulling them back up. By this time, Edward's gotten a head start, but Jasper is fast and takes off after him. The two of them end up rolling around in the snow, wrestling, but based on the smiles and laughter coming from them both, I know they're just playing. I can't help but smile, and my sour mood is mostly gone.

"You've got a keeper there, Bella," Alice says as she tosses an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into a half hug.

"I know," I agree, threading my arm around her and hugging back. "I know."


	14. Sandler, Egg Nog & Chocolate Gelt

**A/N:** A big old bonghit of love for my bb Char for beta-ing this bad boy. Caren & Gin get my vagazzeled love for prereading.

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high.

* * *

With my towel wrapped tightly around my body, I run back to my window and peer out of it in both directions. Twice. There is no way that I can do this if Charlie is home, and while I'm pretty sure he's gone for another few hours, I'm not taking any chances. Dashing downstairs, I lock the front door for good measure, despite the fact that Charlie has the key to his own home. It might buy me some time in the event he has the sudden urge to come home early and interrupt me. I cringe at the thought and try to get any thoughts of my father out of my head before I walk into the bathroom. I don't need to be thinking about him for what I'm about to do.

All the necessary implements are staring me in the face from their spot next to the sink. I glare at them for a minute, as if its their fault I'm about to do this. I still can't believe I'm about to do this, but I have no other choice. Alice got the idea in my head, and ever since then, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I continue to wonder if Edward was skeeved out or if it doesn't bother him. I decide I'm not going to take any chances and reach for something on the counter.

I am about to tame the beast.

I run a washcloth under some warm water, making sure to get it nice and soaked. I wet the area around my pubes enough to be able to smear a bit of shaving gel on it. Making sure I have a towel placed underneath me so I don't get the floor all furry, I rub the gel all around until it foams up a bit. I reach over to grab the brand new razor I bought, just for this occasion. The box it came in assures me that I will get "dramatically smooth, begs-to-be-close skin." That's what I'm aiming for, so here I go. However, before I'm even able to bring the razor to my skin, I feel a burning sensation right between my legs  
_  
Owwwwwwwww!_

It feels like my vag is on fire, and I start yelping like a cat in heat. I turn the water on full blast and soak the washcloth, bringing it to my burning vag, hoping to make it stop. After a few more seconds the searing sensation begins to dull. What the fuck was that? I look at the shaving gel that I used and notice one key ingredient I somehow overlooked: mint. Really, the label screaming _Peppermint Shaving Gel - for a tingly, refreshing experience_, should have tipped me off. Instead, I'm sitting here, whimpering, as I wait for my vag to stop throbbing. It's not even the good kind of throbbing.

I wonder if I'm making a mistake and should have just let Alice wax me down there like she wanted to. Not only did I really not need Alice peering all up in my business, but I was afraid that waxing would hurt, no matter how much Alice denied the fact. It can't hurt more than this though, that's for sure. Eventually, all seems calm, but now all the shaving gel is gone and I need something else. I look around and decide that shampoo is my next best option since it's kind of foamy. After reading the ingredient list twice, I lather up my pubes, enjoying the sweet floral scent and the lack of vag-burning. With the shampoo in place, it's time to start.

I hitch my right leg up on the toilet to find the best angle to attempt this with. I start at the top, and within two seconds my razor gets slightly tangled in the soapy curls. I pause, wondering if I maybe should have trimmed first with scissors. That seems like a good idea, so tightening the towel around my body, I tip toe outside, double checking to make sure Charlie hasn't slipped by me in the last ten minutes. I rush into my room, grab some scissors then head back to the bathroom, all under a minute. I wipe away the shampoo first, because I'm not chancing having the scissors slip from it and nick me anyplace important. Then, I inspect the area, not sure exactly how to trim it. So, I gently grab some hair between my fingers and just start hacking away. Pretty soon the towel on the floor is covered in dark brown wisps of soapy hair. Using the washcloth, I wipe at myself till all the stray hairs are gone and survey the damage.

_Hmm. _

This does not look attractive at all. It looks like somebody took a weed whacker to it. Bits of hair are sticking up at odd angles with some parts shorter than others. Wondering if I can fix it, I snip away a bit more with the scissors and end up with a slightly better outcome. I wonder if I can get away with just stopping now; maybe Edward won't even notice. I glance down once more at the mangled mess between my legs and cringe. Really, it looks like a five year old did it, and I might as well just slap some macaroni and glitter on it and call it a day. I know that even high as a kite, Edward will definitely notice this. It's time to use the razor, so I grab the shampoo and reapply it. The amount of time this is taking makes me wonder just how many people actually do this. I wonder if it will be worth it. So far I've burned myself and given my pubes a super bad haircut. I can't imagine it's going to get any better.

And of course, it doesn't.

I finally use the razor, and this time it's much easier to navigate through my now clipped curls. I hitch my leg back up and start on one side, trying to make my downward strokes as even as possible. Every so often I stop and peer down to see my progress. The left side looks a bit lopsided now, so I take off a bit more from there, which leads to the other side looking funny. After three more minutes of back and forth shaving, I think I've finally gotten it right. I wet the washcloth again and wipe myself down, only to freeze at what I see.  
_  
Shit!_

I'm almost completely bald down there. I blink a few times, as if perhaps I'm hallucinating the semi-Daddy Warbucks state my vag is in, but nope. There it is, plain as day. It looks like I'm sporting a totally fucked up vag-hawk. What the hell am I going to do? I briefly consider my options. Maybe I can use make up to shade it in, like some mascara or something. Or, perhaps Edward and I won't do anything for two to three weeks while it grows in to resemble something normal. I groan, kicking myself for ever thinking I could handle something like this on my own. I look down once more and notice that the skin there is actually kind of red. Nice. Even my vag is blushing in embarrassment.

I start running the shower, hoping that somehow the warm water will wash away my utter humiliation. Thankfully, I don't have too much time to dwell on my haircut from hell because I need to be dressed and ready in an hour. Alice is picking me up to do some holiday shopping, including buying something for a Secret Santa gift. The crew at the Hood decided to have their own holiday party and Alice somehow convinced them to do a gift exchange. I was excited, hoping I'd have Edward, but I ended up getting Aro, which isn't all that bad. I figure a movie or something will make him happy.

After showering quickly, I get dressed, vaguely noticing that my undies feel a little bit different now that I don't have a cushion of hair inside them. They rub up against my skin and the sensation isn't all unpleasant. However, then I start to think about what I did and kick myself mentally. Alice chooses that moment to pull up and honk her horn, saving me form my own mental flagellation. I slide into her car and off we go to the mall. After searching for parking for almost fifteen minutes, we finally find a spot and head in. Alice grips my arm as we traipse through the mall, as if she knows I'm secretly planning on escaping at the first chance I get.

"Remind me again, who did you get?" she asks sweetly, and if this wasn't the fourth time she's asked that question, I might have laughed.

"Alice!" I admonish. "You know the whole point of this Secret Santa thing is to actually keep it a secret, right?"

Alice doesn't even have the decency to look properly abashed as she answers me.

"Of course I do. I just thought I could help and maybe offer some advice. For instance, if you got me, I could show you a few things that I really want..."

"I don't have you," I admit. "But that's all the information you're getting out of me. Oh, wait. I'll also tell you I don't have Edward, so I think I still maybe want to get him something?"

Alice nods approvingly. She pulls me in the direction of Victoria's Secret, but there's no way I'm getting another pair of cheekies after the last time. I begrudgingly follow Alice, though, and just hang around pretending to look at tank tops while she squeals over a bra and undie set that seems too expensive for the few scraps of material that make it up. While Alice is up at the register, I walk over to a big pink and white stripped table with a big 'SALE' sign on it. Passing over the thongs, I see a few bikini cut undies in a satin material that actually look kind of nice. They're not overly sexy, but they feel pretty smooth and I bet they'd at least be comfy. I pick up three pairs and head to stand behind Alice. She glances at my intended purchase and gives me a thumbs up.

After Victoria's Secret, we split up for a bit to do some present shopping. I'm glad for the alone time since I want to pick up something for Alice while I'm out. At the first store I step into, I spot a beautiful turquoise bird on a silver chain and know it will be perfect for her. She's such a free spirit and the bird's outstretched wings seem to symbolize that beautifully. Finding something perfect for Edward, however, proves to be much more difficult, so I decide to focus on Charlie. I find some fishing gear for him and a new camping chair at the sporting goods store in record time. I'm still drawing a blank when it comes to Edward and end up buying Aro's gift next. A quick check of the time lets me know I only have ten minutes until I'm supposed to meet Alice over by the entrance, and I still haven't found anything for Edward.

I pop into the music store, hoping something jumps out at me, but I don't want to just get him a random CD that he can just as easily buy himself. However, perusing the various albums the store has in stock gives me an idea, and I start plotting out exactly what I need to do. Realizing it's time to meet Alice, I rush out of the music store and make it in time to see her standing at our meeting spot gripping at least five different bags.

"What the heck did you buy?" I ask, attempting to peer into them.

Alice pulls them away, giving me a pointed look.

"None of your beeswax," she says with a wink. "Unless you want to show me what you bought."

I shake my head at her and clutch my purchases closer to me.

"No way. I guess we'll both have to wait and see."

We make our way through the crowds and dump our stuff in Alice's car before grabbing a bite to eat. After filling our bellies, Alice drops me off at home, and we make plans to carpool to the holiday get together at the Hood in a couple of days. We're sleeping over there, and Charlie thinks I'm staying at Alice's house, so we figure it makes sense for her to just pick me up. I spend the next couple of days plowing through the homework that I have and manage to get most of it done. I feel a lot better about partying it up with my friends when I don't have the threat of unfinished homework hanging over me. I'm also able to cook a few meals and freeze them for Charlie. That way, I don't feel too guilty if I'm not around at dinner time.

I'm in the kitchen decorating some cookies that I'll be bringing with me to the Hood when Charlie walks in, checking out what I'm doing from over my shoulder. He reaches out and grabs a half decorated Christmas tree.

"Not half bad," he smirks, his moustache trapping a few of the sandy crumbs.

I roll my eyes before offering him another one, which he takes eagerly.

"Thanks. I'm leaving you your own plate of them," I let him know. "Don't eat them all at once, okay?"

Charlie smiles before agreeing to only eat a few at a time, but if I know him, they'll be gone by the end of the night. I wrap up the remaining cookies to take with me and head back up to pack my overnight bag. Before I'm able to make it out of the kitchen, Charlie stops me.

"Have fun tonight, Bella," he says, his voice a bit gruff. "Just not...too much fun."

I try and smile, but the guilt of lying to Charlie sort of eats away at me, making my tummy hurt a bit. Instead, I give him a big hug and let him know I'll be fine. He pats my back awkwardly and nods his head.

"I know you will, kiddo. I know."

He finally lets me go, and I race upstairs, grabbing a backpack and tossing in some clothes for tomorrow. I then realize I need to figure out what to wear tonight. Since we're all going to be sleeping together in one place, I decide that I don't really need to worry about my pajamas. It's not like I'm going to wear some fancypants silk nightie in front of Aro or Marcus. Plus, despite the extra space heaters Aro got from his folks, I know it's going to be ice cold at night, so I'm not taking any chances. I dig through my drawers and grab two pairs of wool socks and a pair of tights just in case. I have a pair of fleece sweatpants that will do the trick and I pack up a thermal long sleeve shirt and my big heavy hoodie as well.

Looking down on my flour dusted shirt, I realize I should change before Alice gets here. I grab a fuzzy green sweater that seems sort of festive and a new pair of jeans. As I strip, I remember the new pair of undies I bought while at the mall and decide to put them on. I'm almost one-hundred percent sure Edward won't see them, but they'll make me feel kind of sexy, I think, so I put them on. As I change undies, I look down and am pleased to see that my poor, almost hairless vag doesn't look as red as it did a couple of days ago. However, when I finally get my new undies on, it feels a little itchy. Could the hair be growing back that quickly? I rub my legs together and shiver at the itchy feeling it produces. Why the hell did I ever think that shaving down there would be a good idea? Before I can berate myself further, I hear a honk coming from outside. I gather up my things and make it down the stairs in time to see Alice at the front door talking to Charlie.

I give Charlie another quick hug and wave goodbye as I grab Alice and drag her back to her car. We make it to the Hood in record time, all thanks to Alice's need for speed. We grab our things, giggling about the idea of a sleepover with our boys as we walk up to the door. There's a faint glow from inside, and we can hear the boys shouting about something. Whatever is going on inside the place, they're clearly into it, so instead of knocking we just let ourselves in. The guys are there already and huddled into a circle, surrounding something on the floor. The small table that is near the couch has been pushed back to make some more space. I can't quite see what they're hovering over, but they seem super excited, so maybe they're just being weird and taking hits from the bong on the floor? It wouldn't be the first time...

"What's this one again, Aro?" asks Edward excitedly.

"Damnit Cullen," mutters Aro. "That one's gimmel. It means you get all of them."

"Game over, motherfuckers," Edward shouts as he fistpumps the air. "I win it all!"

The other guys groan as Edward leans forward and scoops some stuff off the floor. Alice moves over to drop our bags in the corner and the guys finally notice we're there.

"What the heck is going on?" Alice asks.

"We were playing dreidel," explains Jasper with a huff.  
_  
Dreidel?_

The confused look on our faces must be obvious because Jasper clarifies further.

"It's some Hanukkah game that Aro taught us. It's like gambling but with some little spinning top. It's actually kind of fun, and I was getting good at it, until stupid Cullen just won."

Edward looks up with a proud grin and bounds over to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. He places a sweet kiss on my cheek before smirking.

"How does it feel to be dating a winner?"

Before I can answer, Jasper comes over and lands a not so gentle punch to Edward's ribs. Edward is off in a flash and the two playfully duke it out for a moment before Edward cries out.

"Don't fuck with my gelt!"

"Gelt?" I ask, wondering if that's some new term for his peen that I'm unaware of.

"Yeah, these awesome chocolate coins that were the prize. I won them," Edward says, tossing me one.

I open up the gold foil wrapper to find a chocolate disc waiting for me. I pop it into my mouth, and it begins to melt immediately. It's pretty fantastic and I might make a tiny moan as I quickly eat it all up. Edward is by my side in a flash.

"Want another one?" he asks with a wink.

I roll my eyes and pull him over so we can sit on the couch. Aro goes to put away the dreidel stuff while everyone else gets comfy. The boys push the table back and pack a bowl, passing it around. I take a hit when it comes to me, the smoke tickling my nose. I feel much more relaxed after the toke and cuddle up against Edward, begging him for another piece of chocolate. He eagerly complies, but instead of handing it to me, he unwraps it himself, placing it right at my lips. I try and be sexy, flicking my tongue out to lick his fingers as I eat it, but I completely fail as a dribble of chocolately drool slides out of my mouth. Edward snorts as he wipes my mouth, and I duck my head into his chest, totally embarrassed. The bowl gets repacked and passed around a second time, and I take another hit, knowing I've probably reached my limit for the night.

"Oh!" shouts Jasper as he jumps off the couch and speeds over to the speakers. "I almost forgot!"

He plugs his iPod in and presses a few buttons, queuing up a playlist. Then, he sits back down on the couch, a triumphant smile on his face. After a few beats of silence, Bing Crosby and David Bowie's voices sound out in crystal clear perfect harmony.

"It's my Christmas playlist. Only the good shit though. None of the crap you hear at the mall, I promise!"

With the Hood brightly lit up with extra lights and Jasper's mix playing, it really does feel like the holidays. I wonder if we're going to get to the gift exchange anytime soon, but before we're able to, Alice breaks out two large thermoses.

"What's in there, babe?" Jasper asks as he tries to grab one from Alice.

"My mom's special egg nog. She made a huge batch for a party she's throwing, and I may have taken some."

Alice opens the top to one of them and takes a small sip, a smile forming on her face. Then she passes it around and everyone gulps from it.

"Don't take too much, she makes it pretty strong."

I listen to Alice and only take one sip of it, since I don't need a repeat of the horrific Halloween experience. Although, it's hard to resist drinking more, as it really tastes delicious. I pass the thermos on to Edward who takes a generous mouthful. After he swallows he smacks his lips in satisfaction.

"Good shit, Alice. Really good."

"Thanks, Edward."

It's so cute to see Edward and Alice getting along, and Edward's just sitting there with a goofy grin on his face. His lips are all shiny from the egg nog, and I can't help but lean over and kiss him, savoring the sweet taste I find there. Edward nips at my lips quickly before kissing me back. Then, he effortlessly flicks his tongue out to run against my lower lip before pulling back.

"Mmm..." I sigh, snuggling into him further.

"Cig?" he asks, and despite being super comfy at the moment, I nod my head lazily.

"Sure."

I realize that this might be the perfect opportunity to give Edward my gift, so under the pretense of grabbing my cigs, I rifle through my backpack and take out his gift, holding it out of sight. Edward throws his arm around me and leads me out of the Hood, nodding as Alice shouts at us to be quick so we can do our gift exchange. We go around to the back of the Hood where we can lean against the wall and look out into the woods behind Aro's house. The pine trees are covered in a thick coat of snow, weighing down the branches. There's very little light out here, but it's beautiful. I can just about see my breath as it pierces the chilly night. It's so quiet that the only sound I can hear is the crackle of dry tobacco as Edward rolls himself a cigarette.

I pluck my own cig from the packet and wait for Edward to finish rolling his. He lights mine first and then instead of using the lighter for his own, he leans in closely, using the spark from mine. I stare right into his eyes, which are glowing. His cheeks and the tip of his nose have started to get a little ruddy from the cold, but it suits him. After lighting his cig, he pulls away slightly, but I grab his jacket and pull him closer. If he asks, I'll make an excuse about needing his body warmth out here, but really, I just want to feel him close by.

We stand in silence, the grey smoke from our cigarettes mingling as it dissipates into nothing in the crisp air above us. Finally, we stub them out, finished. I know that I need to act now if I want to give him my gift.

"Edward..."

"Bella..."

Of course we both start talking at the same time. I figure if I continue speaking I'm just going to ramble, so I thrust his gift at him. Edward's eyes widen in surprise as he looks at it. Opening up the wrapper, he pulls out the CD and looks at the cover. It's a mix of songs that sort of remind me of him and us, and maybe it's cheesy but I don't care. After what seems like forever, Edward finally cracks a smile. I think that means he likes it? Instead of saying anything, however, he just shakes his head and chuckles a bit, grabbing something from his pocket. It looks like a memory stick.

"What's this?"

"Um, a music mix...but it got too big for one CD, so I had to put it on a stick. You can, um, upload it to your iPod or whatever. But..." he trails off looking back at the CD I gave him. "It's got a lot of the same songs on it."

I blush, wondering what Edward was thinking about as he made his mix for me. I doubt he'd ever tell me, so I just enjoy the fact that he made this for me. I pocket the memory stick and pull Edward towards me, almost falling into him in the process. His lips are slightly chapped from the cold, but I don't even care. The heat from our kiss spreads out, warming me against the chilly air. Edward's fingers thread through my hair, and despite the freezing touch of his hands, I melt further into him. My hands fist at his jacket, pulling him impossibly closer, and I let out a sigh as his tongue does a little swirl thingy in my mouth that I've come to love. I cock my head to the side and Edward uses the opportunity to nip at my neck, his searing kisses turning almost painful as the frigid air sweeps over them only seconds later.

Edward's mouth starts traveling lower, his fingers messing with the top of my jacket. I know if we stay here, he'll have no problem going further, but I have no intention of freezing my tits off. I pull back, resting my forehead against Edward and whisper that we should go back inside. As if making my point for me, Jasper chooses that moment to burst out of the Hood and runs towards us, draping an arm over both of us.

"You motherfuckers better get your asses inside before Alice has my balls. She's all serious business about this stupid gift exchange."

We begrudgingly head back inside to see everyone sitting in a circle, with the pile of gifts on the table. Alice must have placed mine there, because it's already out, and it seems like Edward's is there too.

"Okay, this is how we'll do it," instructs Alice as she picks up a long box. "I'll start by picking out my gift and then I'll randomly pick a gift and give it to the person it's intended for. Sound good?"

All the guys shrug because they don't really care _how_ they get their gifts, just that they get them. Alice opens up the box excitedly and her face falls slightly as she sees what's inside. She covers it well, however and plasters on a super fake smile as she lifts something out of the box.

"Oh, wow, it's...really pink!" she says as she shows everyone a big pink notebook.

She hands it to me and I try to stifle a laugh looking at the prancing unicorns and cartoon like rainbows that cover it.

"It's um, for you to sketch or whatever," says Aro nervously, looking at Alice. "You know, since you do art and shit."

"Oh! It's lovely, thanks Aro!" Alice says enthusiastically, and she bounces over to hug Aro.

He looks relieved, and Alice actually looks genuinely happy now. It must have freaked him out that he got her, and despite the gaudy cover, the sentiment is actually pretty sweet. Alice places the notebook back in the box and picks up another gift and hands it to Jasper. Jasper opens it up and lets out an excited holler at what he finds inside. He shows everyone the new disc to add to his already large disc golf collection. *****

"I know you can't really use it now," Edward says sheepishly. "But just a few more months till we can get back on the course!"

Jasper gives Edward a fist bump in thanks as he clutches his new disc tightly. After they finish their little male bonding, Alice makes sure the rest of the gifts get passed out. Jasper gives Marcus a new small Swiss Army Knife, since he lost his old one camping and Edward gets a subscription to _Rolling Stone_ from Alice. I'm shocked, thinking she would have gotten him clothes or something, but she truly understands my boyfriend. He is over the moon and starts flipping through the magazine that Alice gives him tonight. Finally, I get to give Aro his gift and watch as his face lights up when he opens it up. It's a DVD of Adam Sandler's _Eight Crazy Nights_.

"I figured we should celebrate your heritage during our Secret Santa exchange," I say with a laugh, and Aro gives me a high five as he rushes to set up the DVD player so we can all watch.

There's one gift left, and I'm assuming it's mine and by process of elimination, I know that Marcus got it for me. The smallish box feels a bit heavy, and when I shake it I hear a thud, but I have no clue what it is. Marcus is watching me like a hawk as I unwrap it. It's a huge bottle of lotion that looks all sparkly. Is it glitter lotion? Doesn't he know that's pretty much reserved for girls who like to dance with gold poles nearby? I smile wanly before shoving it back into the box.

"Smell it," he says, gesturing towards the lotion.

I really don't want to, but I don't want to offend him, so I pull it back out and flip the top opening. It smells overwhelmingly sweet, and I have to fight the urge to cough.

"It's cupcake scented. Cupcakes are really awesome and delicious, and when I saw it I figured you like cupcakes, right? So, yeah. I hope you enjoy smelling like cupcakes."

Edward doesn't even bother to hold in his laugh, which makes Marcus uncomfortable, and I feel bad so I try to let him know it's okay.

"Yeah, cupcakes are great. Thanks so much Marcus," I say with a smile, despite the fact that I'll be caught dead before I allow any of the sparkle lotion to cover me in it's faux cupcake smell.

I shove the lotion back into the box and move it aside. Thankfully, the movie is about to start so we all get comfy and settle in to watch the silly cartoon. After we finish my Secret Santa gift to Aro, the boys think it's the perfect opportunity for an Adam Sandler movie marathon. Alice and I go along with it, too relaxed to care. It may help that Alice is getting a killer back rub from Jasper, and I'm enjoying the feel of Edward's fingers in my hair as he mindlessly plays with it. Aro tosses in Billy Madison, and we all laugh along, calling out our favorite lines as they pass. Marcus can't help shout out his favorite line ever, doing the worst Adam Sandler impression ever.

"Shampoo is better. I go on first and clean the hair. Conditioner is better. I leave the hair silky and smooth. Oh, really, fool? Really."

Without missing a beat, Edward joins in, looking at me with a overly horrified expression

"Stop looking at me, Swan."

While everyone cracks up, I roll my eyes, pushing Edward's arm. He uses this to his advantage and pulls me towards him, and we end up sort of laying angles against the armrest of the couch. I can feel Edward's entire body pressed up underneath mine. It looks like we're just sitting really close, but in actuality, I'm pretty sure our bodies might be on fire. The heat I feel from Edward behind me is unreal, and I shift back to absorb more of it. When I wiggle around, however, I press up against his peen, which is bulging out against his jeans.

_Oh. Hi there._

I may purposefully wiggle a few times, causing Edward to groan softly and wind his arm around my waist, pulling me towards him.

"Bella," Edward growls out in a whisper. "If you keep that up, I can't be held responsible for what I do, and I don't give a shit who's watching."

For some reason, that thought makes me kinda hot, and I may let out a breathy sigh. But, I do still my hips, and while Edward relaxes somewhat, a certain part of his body is the opposite of relaxed. He keeps it pressed up against my back though, so I'm reminded of it all throughout the rest of the movie. Instead of getting any alone time, however, we break out snacks and have a quick bite to eat before starting up another Sandler classic. The boys end up devouring the cookies I had brought within seconds. Eating handfuls of Chex mix that Aro's mom had made for us, I take another sip of Alice's egg nog that is being passed around. The thermos of egg nog is followed by a freshly packed bowl, and I decide one more hit will be just fine.

As the third movie of the night ends, I start to feel a bit sleepy, my eyelids growing heavy. It's probably a combination of the late hour, sips of egg nog and the pot. A few yawns escape my mouth, and Edward leans over.

"Tired?" he asks, pulling me closer.

"A little," I admit.

Edward nods and goes back to watching the movie, slowly stroking my upper arm in a soothing manner. As soon as the credits roll, he stands up and pulls me long with him.

"Swan and I are going to sleep," he announces as Aro puts yet another movie into the DVD player.

"Sure you are," snorts Jasper, earning a smack upside the head from Alice.

"Just don't...uh...make a mess," stutters Aro, and I blush at his insinuation.

I duck my head in embarrassment and follow Edward to the far corner of the place where a bunch of thick blankets and pillows have already been set up. Somehow, my backpack made it here before me, so I rifle through it to find my pajamas. I begin the awkward dance of changing into them without anyone seeing anything. Edward ends up standing in front of me, politely - and surprisingly - facing away from me. I change quickly, hardly showing off any goods.

I lay down on the pallet of blankets on my back and find it surprisingly comfy. As I get cozy, Edward changes into his pajamas, clearly not caring who sees him as he pulls off his jeans, replacing them with a pair of flannel pants. He flops down next to me on the blankets and rolls to his side, his fingers running up and down my arm closest to him. A shock of goosebumps spreads beneath his fingers, and I close my eyes at the sensation. Edward shifts around a bit, and reaches down to grab a large, warm quilt, pulling it up around us. I snuggle into it, wiggling a bit closer to Edward. I turn to my side as well, so we're laying next to each other, barely able to see each other in the dim light.

Edward moves forward first, his lips brushing up against one cheek and then the other. I fist my hands into his t-shirt, drawing him even closer, and soon our bodies are pressed up against each other. His lips finally find mine, and as we kiss, my hand drops to his leg, massaging his upper thigh. Edward's tongue is rolling around in my mouth while his hands trail down my shirt, cupping my boobs. I instinctively thrust my chest forward into his grasp. As his thumbs sweep over my now pointy nipples, I let out a groan, which Edward quickly captures with a kiss.

"Bella," he whispers huskily. "You can't make any noise. If you want to have fun, we need to be absolutely quiet. Okay?"

My head falls to his shoulder, and I nod in agreement, knowing that it might be tricky, but I definitely don't want everyone knowing what we're doing. Edward starts kissing my neck, and I close my eyes, concentrating on not making a peep. My hand finds its way to the front of Edward's pants, and I toy with the drawstring for a bit before dipping a finger beneath the waist band. I slowly move it back and forth, enjoying the feel of Edward's warm skin. Finally, after a bit of teasing, I plunge my hand beneath his pants and grab a hold of his peen. It's thick and hard already, so I begin pumping it slowly. While I'm busy giving a super stealthy handjob, Edward's own hands are busy as well. They creep under my shirt, his fingertips tickling at the skin of my stomach. But soon, he has a hold of my boobs and is groping them and twisting the nipples and doing all sorts of things to make me want to moan out. Instead, I bury my face in the crook of his neck and nip at it, stifling the noises that are trying to escape. I can hardly concentrate on what I'm doing, so I take a few deep breaths before continuing. Edward doesn't seem to mind, because as his hips buck into my hand, I can feel him harden just a bit more, and I think he's close to finishing. I freak out for a second, not wanting to have to share the bed with sticky jizz. I also don't want to make a mess, because there is no way I want Mrs. Aronstein to have to wash cum-filled blankets tomorrow.

Thankfully, just as Edward bites down on his lip, making him look insanely hot, he grabs the t-shirt he wore earlier and places it over his peen, capturing everything that comes out. I can both hear and feel Edward's breath racing as he comes down from his orgasm high, and when he places his hand on mine, I realize I'm still holding his peen. Only now, it's kind of floppy. I release it and wipe my hand on the shirt. Edward cleans up before stuffing himself back into his pajamas. He pulls me closer, placing a kiss on my forehead.

"That was..." he whispers as his hands begin roaming my body again. "...so fucking good."

I can't help but giggle at the praise and mentally pat myself on the back. I let Edward spin me around so we're spooning, my back against his front. I'm enjoying the cuddle and can certainly see myself falling asleep like this, but Edward has another idea, apparently. His hands continue to explore my body over my clothes, and before I realize it, his fingers have easily slipped beneath the elastic waistband of my pants.  
_  
Shit!  
_  
I just realize that he's going to come into contact with my almost bald vag and it might freak him out. My hand comes over his to still it and move it back to safer waters, but I can feel Edward shake his head against my neck.

"I want to make you feel good, Bella," he murmurs, and really, how can I deny the boy what he wants?

I just hope he doesn't spaz out over what he finds down there. I gulp, my heart skipping a beat, as his hand travels lower, moving past my hip bones until finally he's touching where there used to be a bunch of fur. Now it barely has a patch of it. His fingers splay out as he moves up and down, trying to figure out what the hell happened.

"Edward, I'm sorry, I..." I squeak out in an attempt to explain.

"Bella, are you? Did you...Holy shit!" he exclaims in a muffled shout, his face in my hair.

"I know," I say, embarrassed, my cheeks flooding with heat.

"This is so fucking hot," he groans, and I feel his peen, which is super hard again, press into my lower back. "Fuck, I wish I could see it. I bet it looks so hot!"

Apparently, Edward isn't weirded out by my hack shaving job, and I smile, kind of excited that it's turning him on. I close my eyes and nibble my lips, stifling the noises that want to pour out. It's really hard though, especially when Edward's fingers slip further down and into me, pumping in and out a few times, before making swiping passes towards my clit. I ball my fists up and try really hard not to make a sound. Instead, I have to move my body because I need to let this out somehow. Edward continues to play me like his guitar, his skilled fingers making me feel incredible. I shift my hips up and down, needing more, and in the process, I begin rubbing up against him. Feeling his rock hard peen against my ass shouldn't feel this hot, but it does. I push back even farther on purpose, and Edward responds, pushing up to meet me. Soon, we're both rocking against each other while his fingers continue to push in and out. I can feel how wet I'm getting because the acute lack of hair makes me feel everything ten times more intensely. I start almost flailing about, and Edward wraps his other arms around me to help brush me up against him in a more rhythmic motion, and soon I'm falling over the edge, clenching down around his fingers. I feel the graze of Edward's teeth against my neck and then a warm, wet feeling spreads through my back. I'm confused for a second before I realise Edward just jizzed himself.

I can't help but snicker at the thought that he just got off from fingerbanging me. I mean, sure, I was helping out a little with some not-so-dryhumping, but still. I can't get rid of the damn cheesy grin on my face, despite the now chilly and uncomfortable wetness in my pants. Edward must sense that I'm a little icky because he hands me the used t-shirt. While the sentiment is nice, I decline, letting him use it for himself a second time. Instead, I peel my undies off, and shove them in my backpack. My pants seem fine and the fleece is warm, so I'm actually quite comfortable by the time I settle back in bed. The grin still won't leave my face, and when Edward's strong arms wrap around me, it doesn't take long for me to fall soundly asleep.

* * *

*** **http:/en(DOT)wikipedia(DOT)org/wiki/Disc_golf -disc/frisbee golf. It's like the hippy's version of real golf. ;)

**A/N:** Grab yourself a snack, because I have a slight fear this will be a doozy of an author's note :P

I am continually blown away by the support and love this fic has received. You are all amazing. The next few weeks here in YogaLand are kinda busy, so updates won't be coming atcha every week as I've somehow managed to do. Next weekend I'm away to the beach for a week, and then YogaKid is out of school (and pre-camp time) so writing time will be limited. But, never fear - Stonerward and the gang will still find their way into your boxes, just perhaps not as frequently for a bit.

Also - Fandom Gives Back is right around the corner. I will be putting myself up alongside LaraIsAwkward as our alter ego AwkwardYoga. If you read our fic, That's What We Said, you will be able to go and vote on us - all for a fab cause. More info will come out once FGB starts up.

and lastly...I'm hosting another contest! I'm co-hosting it with the utterly fabulous and fantastic **SorceressCirce** and **Il-Bel-Mondo**. It's called the **Plot Bunny Contest** and you can find out more info here: **http:/plotbunnycontest(DOT)blogspot(DOT)com/** This is a great contest for both new and seasoned writers, so _hop_ on by (bwahaha, yeah, I went there) and check it out! Even if you don't think you'd be up for entering, we can still use your help. Go on over to our site and submit all those lingering plot bunnies you have in your head. You never know, somebody might just write a fic with *your* idea.

and with that...I'm outta here...have a FAB weekend filled with frolicking fun!


	15. Anderson & Champagne

**A/N:** oh hai! So...I really didn't think I'd get a chance to update before heading off to the surf & sun (or, at least, let's pray for sun...there's a bit of rain in the forecast, noooooooooo!), but here we are with an update, the day before I leave - yay!

I do have to say that I don't foresee doing any writing while on vacation, however, so it will probably be a couple weeks before the next chapter, and I actually think there is a new StonerwardPOV (in _Director's Cut_) that will show up before then. So, keep your eyes peeled!

Much love and thanks to all you fab kittens who take the time to read this silliness - you all rock! I absolutely love how so many of you shared a horrific shaving story of your own last chap. Let's see if you have any similar stories to share after this one! *giggles*

Love and bewbgropes to my fabulous beta **Lexiecullen17** - if you're not reading her fic, _The Longest Summer_ - you are missing out. Camperward FTW! It's the perfect read for this time of year, trust me.

Hugs & bewbgropes to Gin & Caren for being their awesomesauce selves and pre-reading this chap...even if I caused you both to get squicked out a bit. *snicker*

Um, I guess I would recommend that you read this while not eating.

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high.

* * *

"Five...four...three...two...one! Happy New Year!"

Everybody erupts in cheers as Ryan Seacrest attempts an awkward high five with what seems to be a robotic version of Dick Clark. I'm only able to ponder that bizarre pairing for a second before slightly rough hands turn my chin and a pair of warm, wet lips cover my own. I melt into Edward's kiss, the cheering and noise surrounding us fading away.

"Happy New Year, Bella," Edward mumbles against my lips as he kisses me once more.

"Happy New Year, Edward," I reply, tugging him closer.

He places a kiss onto my forehead as he hugs me close, and I swear I hear him mumble something else into my hair, but I can't make it out. I roll my eyes at myself, knowing what I kind of sort of wish for him to have mumbled. Three stupid words. Three stupid words that I don't even think I'm ready to say myself, but I think I'd be totally okay with him saying them to me. I know, I don't understand it either.

Maybe it comes from having watched my mom make so many poor choices in men. After my dad, Renee seemed to float from guy to guy, claiming after a few dates that she was in love and that _this_ was it. Of course, until Phil came around, _this_ never really was it, and so I know not to be hasty in my declarations. However, that doesn't stop my heart from clenching almost painfully every time Edward flashes a smile at me. And it certainly doesn't stop my body from erupting into delicious twingles when he touches me in just the right way, even if it's a simple brush of his hand against my cheek.

"Bella?"

I look up at Edward, having no clue what he just asked. I think he knows that I'm a little confused because he asks again.

"Want to go outside? Aro and Jasper have something special in store," he explains with a shrug.

I nod, not trusting myself to talk, because if I do, three stupid little words might accidentally slip out, and I'm not ready for that.

I think.

We head outside, the cold air whipping in our faces. I'm glad I wore a big woolly scarf and tighten it around my neck, keeping the chill out. I pull my knitted mittens out of my coat pocket and quickly put them on, happy that I remembered to bring them tonight. Edward grabs a hold of my covered hand and gives it a squeeze. I let out a contented sigh, closing my eyes briefly. Because of that, I'm startled as I'm tackled from behind, a pair of strong arms gripping me tightly.

"Happy New Year, Bella!"

Alice pops up in front of me, a beatific smile on her face. She looks absolutely stunning with purple fuzzy earmuffs on and sparkly glitter covering half her face.

"Happy New Year, Alice," I reply as I hug her, my right hand still gripping Edward's.

"So, what do you think? About later tonight..." Alice whispers, so I'm the only one that hears.

I still haven't decided and am about to answer her question when we're interrupted.

"Muherfmcker!" Jasper shouts, his words slightly muffled by the thumb in his mouth.

He pulls his thumb out from his mouth, and I can already see a bright red blister starting to form.

"What the hell did you do?" I ask, shaking my head while Alice rushes over, all concerned.

"Stupid fireworks," mutters Jasper, kicking at the frozen ground.

As he speaks, a loud shriek pierces through the relative quiet, causing us all to look up. Tiny flares of green, gold and red pop into the sky, leaving behind a trail of sulfur smelling smoke. A few more get shot out, including a white sparkly spiral one which looks pretty cool. Jasper runs over to the edge of the woods where they're coming from, shouting for Aro to wait up for him. Edward wraps his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder as we watch the remainder of the fireworks. Some of them are pretty cool, while others fizzle before they even make a significant display. After about five minutes, it's over, and the rest of the guys come barreling over.

"Wasn't that kickass?" Aro asks, a proud grin on his face.

"It was pretty awesome," I tell him with a smile, and Edward gives him a high five.

"Way cooler than those bottlerockets we made in physics. Remember those? They never let us play with anything cool..." Aro says as he and Marcus end up heading back into the Hood while Jasper whisks Alice off the ground, twirling her around.

"So...your place, babe?" he asks, before placing her back down.

Alice shoots me a look, silently asking if it's cool that Edward and Jasper come over. We've only discussed it briefly, but we knew there'd be a chance the boys would be staying over. Alice's parents are at some swanky party for New Year's and will be staying at the hotel, leaving the house to us for the night. However, they only told Alice this information a few hours ago, to ensure she wouldn't throw a big party, not that Alice would actually do that. Alice sent me a text right before I got here, letting me know the scoop.

I figure the boys think that they are staying at the Hood, but Alice must have told Jasper that her parents are gone. She already told me that if the boys end up coming, Edward and I can have the guest room. It has a king size bed. I'm torn about what to do, though. I really want to spend the night with Edward, and it will be super awesome to do that in a real bed this time, but...

_Ugh! _

My damn Aunt Flow chose to join me in our New Year's eve celebration, and I could just kill my uterus right now. It's not bad enough that I'm all crampy and feel gross and bloated, but the one chance I have for a real sleepover with Edward, I'm cockblocked by my own vag. I know that any fun we end up having will stop at my flannel pajama pants, and it kinda bums me out. My chance for New Year's twingles have drastically been demolished. Despite riding the crimson tide, however, I know that I'd be foolish to give up a night of cuddling with Edward. I'm sure he'll understand my predicament, right? I end up nodding discreetly, giving Alice the go ahead. I feel Edward's fingers on my lips and look up at him in surprise.

"What did I say about these lips?" he asks, his voice all gravelly.

I look down and realize I've been chewing my lip.

"Oh," I say breathlessly because, damn it, Edward just makes me all squishy inside.

"Come on you two lovebirds," Alice trills, shuttling us towards the door.

I gulp, flushing at the choice of her words and hope Edward doesn't read too closely into them. Of course, he's just got a huge grin on his face and winks at me over Alice's head. We all pile into Alice's car since she's actually sober, and head on over to her house. Once we get there, Alice and Jasper disappear almost immediately into her room, leaving Edward and I alone in the kitchen.

"So..." I trail off, not knowing what to say.

"So..." echoes Edward as he steps closer to me.

I shiver in excitement and grab my bag.

"We should go up to, um, our room."

Edward nods, gathering his stuff and follows me up the stairs to the guest room. I hold the door open for him, and he walks in, tossing his bag by the bed. I have a feeling that Alice and Jasper aren't going to be coming out of her room anytime soon, but I don't want to take any chances. I lock the door behind me. At the unnecessarily loud click, Edward looks over at me, smirking when he notices my hand on the door.

"Afraid of being disturbed?" he asks as he slowly walks towards me.

"Maybe..." I answer with a shrug.

"Why? What plans do you have?"

While I'm sure he'd be thrilled if I answered him honestly - that my intent is to suck his peen - I just can't bring myself to actually say those words, so I settle for giving Edward a wink in hopes that I look slightly coy. Apparently that's a turn on because Edward closes the space between us and cups my face in his hands, kissing me passionately. His lips are soft, but the kiss is fierce. It's one of those delicious kisses that you know will probably leave your lips red and raw but you don't even care. I steel myself for what I'm about to do and push against Edward so he starts walking backwards towards the bed. He falls onto it with a laugh, and I crawl up over him, so I'm straddling his thighs. Edward stills, as if something has just occured to him, and he leans over the edge of the bed where his backpack is. He blindly digs around and must find what he's looking for.

"Voila!" he exclaims with a flourish, presenting me with a small bottle of champagne.

I am actually sort of sober, if you don't count the four bong hits I did while at the Hood. Nodding my head, I shift off Edward so he can pop the cork. I figure a little liquid courage won't hurt when I try to stuff his peen in my mouth. I cover my ears waiting for the loud bang and after a few seconds of fiddling with the cork, Edward finally manages to send it flying across the room. Giggling, I accept the bottle that Edward passes my way.

"Ladies first," he says with a wink, but I certainly don't act like a lady as I gulp down a few sips.

The sweet, bubbly liquid slides down my throat, tickling as it goes down. This tastes way better than beer, and after Edward has a few sips I giddily grab it back from him, swigging some more. After passing it back and forth a few times and we're almost at the end, Edward places the bottle up on the nightstand near the bed. I snuggle up next to him. My body is all warm and flushed, a combination of the alcohol and Edward's fingers, which are now teasing the skin of my belly. I sigh kind of loudly, but I don't care because it feels really freaking good. My head is swimming but in a good way, and my whole body feels relaxed and loose. Edward's fingers continue to make slow, tender sweeps across my belly before dipping slightly below the waist of my pants. I want his fingers to keep going lower, lower, lower until he reaches my...

"Wait!" I cry out, startling Edward, who immediately pulls back his hand like he's been burned.

"What's wrong?" he asks, his voice laced with concern. "Did...did I hurt you?"

He looks upset, and I want to reassure him that he didn't do anything, but how the hell do I tell him I just remembered I'm bleeding like a stuck pig?

"I...no. You...you didn't hurt me. Not at all. Actually that felt good. Really good. Too good..." I trail off with a moan, remembering the feel of his fingers gliding across my skin.

I realize I have yet to explain to Edward why I had him stop, so I close my eyes and cover them with my hands for good measure while I just spit it out.

"You can't do that because I'm bleeding...but not because I'm hurt, more because it's, um, that time, you know, of the month."

Edward's silence scares me, and I wonder how long it will take till he's packing his stuff up to go crash on the couch downstairs. I'm feeling stupidly brave so I chance a look in his direction and see him staring at me with wide eyes.

"Oh. Ohhhhhhh. Gotcha," he says finally as it all sinks in. "That's, um...That's cool. We can do other stuff. Right?"

I nod, glad that he isn't running out of here screaming. I grab the bottle of champagne and take one more swig before crawling back over to Edward and straddling him again. His super cool behavior when I tell him I'm on the rag in addition to the champagne buzz I've got going on makes me want to do bad things to him. By the look on his face, I think he might have some idea of what I have in mind. I really hope he does, because there is no way I'm going to actually tell him what I'm about to do. I close my eyes briefly, thinking back quickly to the video I watched with Alice. I know that no amount of champagne will get me to do all of the things those boys did, but I'm pretty certain I can handle the basics. I start rubbing my hands up and down Edward's legs, almost massaging him, and he seems to enjoy it, since his head flops backward and he closes his eyes.

I take a deep breath as I near the top of his pants. The area right by the zipper is already tented, so it's obvious that Edward is as excited for this as I am. Although, my excitement is more like big jittery nerves. I pray that my hands aren't shaking as I pull the zipper down and fumble trying to open his button. I grab a hold of the top of Edward's pants, pulling them down. I have to squat up a bit when they get trapped around his knees, but Edward's able to kick them off eventually. Before I'm able to crouch back down to straddle over him, strong arms lift me up and over to a pair of waiting lips. We kiss for a bit while Edward grabs my butt, kneading it with his hands. _Mmm._..I think I like that.

I'm kinda grinding up against him as we kiss, and his rock hard peen hits me right between the legs each time I wiggle up on him. I'm not sure if it's because of my bleeding vag or what, but everything feels a little extra sensitive down there. Edward thrusts upward and hits me. Right. There. I call out, my panting moan slightly muffled by Edward's mouth. I am beyond the luckiest girl in the world because I have a boyfriend who can give me the vag twingles even when I'm on the rag. Happy New Year indeed.

I break our kiss as I pant some more, breathing heavily into Edward's shoulder.

"Wow."

I'm still amazed at how he can do this to me. I give myself another minute to recover and realize that Edward is still hard as a rock. I'm feeling really good; the champagne and twingly endorphins running through my body. I want to make Edward feel this good. I shimmy down his torso, pushing up his shirt as I make my way down. When my lips brush against the slightly furry skin below his bellybutton, his entire body tenses, and his head shoots up.

"B...B...Bella?" he sputters out. "What are you doing?"

"I'm..." I trail off and shrug, eyeballing his peen as I lick my lips, and hope he'll figure it out.

I think he will. He's a smart boy.

"You sure?" he asks, and I nod, appreciative of the sweet boy before me.

His head falls back and his hands ball up next to him, fisting the bed sheet. I go back to what I was doing, placing kisses on his belly and trying not to laugh when his happy trail tickles my chin. I take a deep breath and pull his boxers off quickly, my head hovering over his now exposed peen. It's hard as a rock and literally staring me in the face. I close my eyes and give myself a little pep talk. I know I can do this, and I know Edward will like it. I briefly remember Alice's words that I can always improve upon my technique, but it really doesn't matter at first because Edward will just be psyched to have a warm mouth on his peen.

I recall the video I watched and how the boys just kind of...went at it, taking it all the way down their throat. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be able to do that. Not only is Edward kinda big, but I know I have a pretty bad gag reflex. In fact, sometimes when I'm brushing my teeth and the toothbrush slips a bit, I can throw up. The last thing I want to do is puke all over Edward while I attempt to give him head. Totally not sexy.

I realize I've just been staring at it for the last few minutes while I calm myself down, and Edward's probably wondering what the fuck is going on. I start to stroke it slowly, loving how hot he feels in my hand. As I work my hand up and down, I wonder what makes it so hot. It's probably not the right time to ask, so I file the question away for later. Instead, I bend forward and tentatively flick my tongue out, licking at the head.

"Ungh..."

Edward's moan spurs me on, and I become a little bolder, kissing the tip of his peen like I would his lips. His hips shift forward, and the movement presses his peen forward, so it slides between my lips. I part them, allowing it to enter my mouth and take stock of the situation. It's actually not too scary. He tastes a little salty, but it's not bad at all. There's definitely a musky smell, but it's kind of sexy and guy-like. The feel of his peen in my mouth is kind of cool too. He's totally hard, but the actual skin surrounding the peen is soft and kind of spongy. Finally I plunge my mouth all the way down so I have a good portion of his peen in my mouth. Edward seems to like this since his hips are wiggling all around and he's panting and shouting out "Fuck!" every so often. With my mouth still around him, I flick my tongue out and try to lick him. It works for a bit but then I start having trouble breathing while doing all of this. I try to inhale around him, but feel something tickle at the back of my throat and not in a good way.

I immediately pop off and start coughing. _Oh shit!_ I have something stuck in my throat! I start hacking up a lung, trying to figure out what the hell I'm gagging on. Edward's asking me if I'm alright, and I feel horrible that this is happening mid blow job, so I wave him off and nod since I can't really talk at the moment. He seems placated, and his own hand moves to his peen, and he starts jerking himself off! It looks insanely hot, but unfortunately I'm not able to actually enjoy it since I'm still trying to work whatever is in my throat out. Finally, with one more wheezing cough, I realize it's a hair. I pull it out and see a black pube come out of my mouth.

_Oh. Em. Gee._

I kind of want to vomit because I basically just hacked up a hairball of Edward's pubes. Okay, maybe it wasn't that drastic, but it was pretty damn close. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths, willing myself to move past this. I now know why the boys in Alice's video were all neat and trim down there. Maybe I should offer to give Edward a trim since I've already got some experience in that area.

A groan from Edward pulls me out of my thoughts, and I look back down to see him still jerking himself off. I feel bad that I've left him to his own hand, so I take over, gently removing his hand and replacing it with my own. I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to put the whole thing back in my mouth again, so I start off slowly, giving it a few licks, like it's a popsicle - an Edward-flavored popsicle. I use my hand to make up for the rest, and it's a whole lot easier doing this when his peen is all slicked up with my spit. I continue to lick it and kiss it, and based on the grunts coming from the top of the bed, Edward is enjoying himself and maybe close to getting off. After the hair incident, I don't think I'm brave enough to find out what a mouthful of jizz is like, so I quickly glance around and spy some tissues next to the bed. I grab a handful and keep them next to me for easy access. I go back to licking his peen and swirl my tongue over the little opening at the tip.

"Bella! So...so close," Edward pants out, and I grin, pretty pleased with myself for what seems to be a half-assed blow job.

I keep lapping away, and suddenly it gets a little saltier and gooier down there. The flavor isn't all that bad, and I entertain swallowing for a second until more starts spurting out in thick ribbon-like squirts. I grab the tissues quickly and hold them over the tip, trying to catch everything. I pump him a few more times to get it all out until his peen starts to soften a bit. I use a couple more tissues to clean him up, and I wipe my hands off too, just in case I got any jizz on me. I look over at Edward, and he has the most blissed out look on his face. I have to say that I'm surprised since even I can tell my BJ skills need some work. I'm sure Edward wouldn't be adverse to the old line, "practice makes perfect."

While Edward still has his eyes closed, I get up to go change into my pajamas, but a firm grip on my wrist holds me in place.

"Where are you running off to?" he asks, although his eyes are still closed.

"Oh. Um...just going to change?"

I'm not sure why I feel nervous all of a sudden. I mean, I did just have his peen in my mouth for goodness sake.

"Okay. Hurry back."

I smile while warm fuzzies flood my body. I grab my backpack and rush to the bathroom where I change quickly into a tank top and pair of flannel pants. I take a few minutes to pee, brush my teeth and wash my face so I can just get right into bed. When I make it back to the room, the lights are all off except for a low one right next to the bed. Edward's clothes are in a pile on the ground, and he's underneath the covers with them pulled up to his waist. He's not wearing a shirt, and I can see the sparse bronze curls on his chest from here. I feel a slight chill in the air and notice that the window is open. I walk over to close it, giving Edward a questioning glance. He looks up at me sheepishly and shrugs.

"I needed a cig after...um...that," he smirks. "And I was just too lazy to go downstairs, so I snuck one out the window."

I roll my eyes, but it's fine. The room doesn't particularly smell like smoke, so I'm sure Alice won't care. However, when I finally crawl into bed next to Edward, I get a strong whiff of tobacco. It's oddly comforting. I snuggle up next to him as he wraps an arm around me, pulling me close. I lay my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes, figuring sleep is near. Instead, Edward starts talking, about nothing really important, just bullshitting about stuff that happened at the Hood.

"Do you remember that first time you came to the Hood?" he asks with a laugh. "I loved how you put Aro and Marcus in their places."

He remembers the first time I was there. I internally do a litle happy dance before composing myself enough to answer.

"Well, yeah. Their choice in Kevin Smith films was clearly lacking."

We both laugh and then start talking about our favorite films. In between sharing favorite movies and quotes, I talk a bit about my life before moving to Forks, and Edward tells me more about growing up here. Our conversation flows and is easy with no awkward pauses or silences. Sometimes, he trails his fingers up my arms, and other times I trace random patterns against the skin on his chest, but mostly we just talk. I'm not really surprised when I see rays of sunlight start to peek through the partially closed shade. Yet, neither of us are deterred that it's pretty much already morning and keep talking, learning more about each other.

Somehow we get to talking about Wes Anderson, and I mention how _The Royal Tenenbaums _is my favorite flick of his. Edward nods approvingly and says that he's partial to _Rushmore_. I let him know that we can still be together, despite our difference in opinion. That results in a tickle from Edward. I retaliate with some well placed pokes and after fooling around for a bit, we fall back against our pillows, laughing. This is all so easy and so perfect. Edward's talking again, analyzing the whole meaning behind Margot's wooden finger, but I can't stop thinking about the two of us. I have all of these feelings swirling inside of me, and I want to tell him so badly, but I'm also really scared. What if this isn't real? What if this is just to good to be true, like a movie. I can't imagine having my heart hurt like I've seen happen to Renee countless times, but the urge to tell Edward something is too great. I wait for him to finish speaking before I roll over on my side to look at him. He looks back at me, his eyes clear despite the smoke and champagne we've consumed over the course of the night.

"Edward, I..." I stumble in my words, not sure what's going to come out. "I really like you."

Edward stares at me, digesting my words. It's nothing earth shattering and really, probably nothing revolutionary either, but a warm smile spreads across his face, immediately sending shock waves through my belly.

"I really like you too, Bella. A lot."

With those words, I close my eyes and snuggle back into his embrace.

"Good."

"Good," echoes Edward, placing a kiss to my forehead, which is the last thing I remember before finally allowing sleep to take over.

* * *

**A/N:** Are you all still with me after that?

**PSA **- Stray pubes: they happen. Be prepared.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter and whether or not you've shared a similar experience. I will say that I've used many of my own personal experiences while writing this fic and leave it at that ;)

Oh! if you still haven't had a chance - go check out the new contest I'm co-hosting with SorceressCirce & Il-bel-mondo www(DOT)plotbunnycontest(DOT)blogspot(DOT)com

Until next time, kittens!


	16. Hess & Cookies

**A/N: **Yay, I'm back! Thank you all for being so patient while I enjoyed the sun and sand for a bit *grins*

In case you didn't know - I updated last week with a new outtake in **The Director's Cut** - a little StonerwardPOV of something we don't see in **The Hood** - go check it out!

A huge thank you to Char for beta-ing this bad boy and talking me down from the crazy ledge. If you can imagine - this chapter was almost even sillier and more awkward than it already is. Bewbgropes to Caren and Gin for prereading this as well...if you only saw the naughty things they were sprinkling in here. Poor Stonerward - I feel his innocence has been stolen just a smidge. Well, maybe not stolen - just borrowed and sullied up a bit. And extra spanks to Gin for understanding my 15-year old boy inspired humor/thoughts.

Come meet me below for all sorts of FGB announcements!

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own any of these characters, I just enjoy getting them high...**  
**

* * *

"So, you're...in like?" Alice asks in between bites of cookie dough.

"I guess," I shrug as I lick the bowl. "I mean, yeah, totally."

I try to sound convincing, but it just sounds so stupid. 'In like.' Who even says that? I know I feel stronger about Edward than just liking him, but I'm too chicken shit to admit it. Not to Alice, and especially not to Edward... yet. I'm only sort of okay with admitting it to myself.

"What about you and Jasper?" I ask, trying to deflect the conversation elsewhere. "Have you guys used the L-word yet?"

Alice giggles and shakes her head, but by the look on her face, I can tell she's hiding something.

"What is it?" I prod, now curious, hoping to get it out of her.

"Fine, but you have to swear not to say anything to Jasper. At all. He'll flip."

This is going to be good, I can tell. So, I take my finger and cross my heart with it and then pretend I'm locking my lips with an imaginary key. Alice fidgets a bit before finally blowing out a breath of air and speaking.

"You can't laugh, okay?"

I nod and urge her to continue.

"So, no. We haven't used the actual L-word, but...we have our own word. It's pretty much the same thing, I think. We..." she trails off, looking uncharacteristically embarrassed, and I wave my hands at her, prompting her to go on. "...We shmoop each other."

"What the hell?"

It comes out of my mouth before I can stop it, and I immediately feel bad, given the embarrassed look on Alice's face.

"I'm so sorry! I just...I don't understand."

"We shmoop each other. It's just what we say instead of love. Like, I'll tell Jasper I shmoop him, and he says it back to me."

I want to tell her that it's utterly ridiculous, that I would never be caught dead saying something like that. But I can't. It's actually totally sweet in a super dorky way. Unable to stand the pouty face Alice has, I let her know what I'm thinking, and her smile returns just in time for our first batch of cookies to be done. We're making cookies for a back to school hang out session at the Hood. Aro insists on a back to school theme, so we're watching some teen flick, and Alice and I decide to bring a standard after school snack of milk and cookies. We've probably eaten half our weight in cookie dough already, but I don't even care. This stuff is _good._

Finally, after three batches of different cookies are whipped up, we place them in sealed containers and grab the large gallon of milk from the fridge before making our way to Aro's. The guys are already there, and by the looks of their bright red eyes, I can tell they've most likely passed Frosty around a few times over. Edward spies the bags in my hand and like the gentleman that he is, he hops over to help me out. Fine, I know he's probably only helping because he knows that snacks are nearby, but I find it cute that he's grabbing the bags from me none the less. He places them down on the coffee table before coming back towards me.

It's been about a week since the New Years' party, and between starting back up at school and some required family time for the two of us, we haven't really had a chance for alone time since Alice's house. It's a little ridiculous how much I can miss him, even when I still see him every afternoon in math class.

"Hey," whispers Edward, his warm breath tickling my cheek as he hugs me from behind.

"Hi," I respond, my face breaking out into a smile.

"Mmm..." he groans, as he buries his face in my hair. "You smell like cookies."

I laugh, thinking it's hysterical that despite the fact that there are hundreds of perfumes out there, some that cost a crap load of money, my boyfriend enjoys the fact that I smell like baked goods.

"That's because I made cookies, silly."

Since he's behind me, I'm unable to see his face, but I am almost certain that his eyes are as wide as saucers at my admission. I can tell he's struggling between hugging me some more and tearing off towards the cookies.

"Go," I say, giving him permission. I giggle as he kisses my cheek quickly before making a bee line for the cookies.

I make my way over to the boys, and while I shouldn't be stunned at what I see, I'm still slightly flabbergasted. They're all hovering around the tubs of cookies, barely a word being spoken between the four of them. Every so often, one of them grunts, and the jug of milk we've brought gets passed around. They haven't even bothered with cups.

_Gross._

Cookie crumbs are everywhere, but nobody seems to notice. I venture closer and snatch a chocolate chip cookie, praying that nobody will snap my fingers off before I pull my hand back. Finally, the boys have demolished most of the cookies and are sitting back, allowing their stomachs to catch up with their mouths.

"Fucking phenomenal cookies, girls," Jasper says as he licks some stray chocolate from the corner of his mouth.

"For sure," agrees Marcus. "Thanks."

Aro echoes Marcus's sentiment, and Edward grabs at my hand, telling me that our cookies are "melt in your mouth orgasmic." I can't help but snicker at that one, and apparently he's not kidding as the other guys just nod in agreement, eyes completely glazed over in a cookie-induced coma.

Alice and I grin under all the praise and high five each other. While Aro goes and picks out the first movie, we each snuggle into our guys. I see Jasper whisper something into Alice's ear as she curls up against him, and I almost want to call him out on his possible "shmooping," but I won't break Alice's trust, no matter how much I'm dying to razz Jasper. That doesn't mean that I don't fall into a fit of giggles.

"What?" Edward asks, looking at me suspiciously.

"Nothing," I say, covering my mouth.

Edward doesn't look convinced, so I distract him with a kiss. That seems to do the trick, and he kisses me back, his tongue sweeping across my bottom lip before he pulls away.

"I've missed you, you know."

I turn my head so I can see his eyes, and I nod.

I know.

He leans forward and presses another kiss on my lips as his hand comes up to brush away a few stray pieces of hair that have fallen in my face. I part my lips slightly and dart my tongue out, meeting Edward's halfway. Our kiss is getting heated when we're interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing.

"Um..."

I look up and see Aro standing there, his gaze averted from us, but his face beet red. Marcus is standing behind him, looking all sorts of annoyed with his arms crossed against his chest. I peek over at Alice and Jasper, and they're both holding back a fit of laughter.

"So, yeah..." Aro continues. "I've got the movie all set up."

Edward just smirks and strengthens his hold on me when I try to wiggle away, completely mortified.

"They'll deal," he whispers in my ear, and I can't help but shiver when his breath tickles my skin.

I settle in next to Edward to watch the movie Aro picked. Despite Aro's discerning taste in movies, I'm a bit nervous for what he's chosen. Alice had said that he wanted a high school type movie since it's in honor of us hitting the books again after vacation, and I cringe, thinking of the number of horrible cheese that has been passed off as high school movies. While I don't think Aro's about to press play on _High School Musical_, there's a slight chance that he'll subject us to _Bring It On_ or something similar just to watch all the bouncing boobs. I am beyond thankful to see the opening credits of _Napoleon Dynamite_, however, when Aro finally starts the movie. I can deal with this movie, even though I know Edward and Jasper will be rocking their horrible Napoleon impressions for days afterward.

Midway through the movie a bowl gets passed around, and I take a hit, not having smoked since school started. Whatever is in the bowl seems strong, though, and after only two hits my head feels incredibly fuzzy, and I can't help but giggle uncontrollably when Napoleon gives his llama dinner.

"Eat your dinner, Tina," I say, trying to sound exasperated.

Edward snorts besides me and whispers in my hair.

"You're fucking awesome."

My cheeks burn, but in the best way possible, and I find my heart racing just a smidge faster. After that there is no way that I can concentrate on the movie. Instead, I am intently focused on every single thing that Edward is doing. It may be the pot, it may be the fact that I'm completely into this kid, but either way, I can't stop staring at him. I watch with fascination as his chest rises and falls, admiring the way his body moves as he laughs. My focus zeros in on his face, and I can't help but smile, looking at the way his eyes crinkle slightly in the corners when he laughs. Edward raises his hand, his fingers weaving through his hair as he scratches at the back of his neck. His fingers are super long, and I'm sort of loving the way they twist around as he moves his hand up and down. I feel a little zing down in my pants as I imagine just what those fingers can do...what they've done. It's been far too long since Edward's fingers have visited my girly bits and I think I need to to figure out a way for him to return. While mesmerized by his fingers, I don't really notice that Edward's caught me staring at him until it's too late.

"What are you doing?" he whispers, a smirk creeping across his face.

I want to lick that smirk right off. Instead, I try and play it cool.

"Nothing," I whisper and then lean forward a little, pressing my arms together to play up my non existent cleavage.

"Now what are you doing?" he asks, holding back a laugh.

I look down and remember I'm wearing a turtleneck sweater, so of course he doesn't see my fabulous fake cleavage. I probably look absolutely ridiculous right now. That must have been some strong pot. I wonder if I can still play it cool, but I'm pretty certain I passed cool a while ago. So, instead I go for the tried and true diversion technique. I drop my arms from squishing my boobs and lean even further so I can whisper in Edward's ear.

"I don't know," I end up saying, which is so far the opposite of cool I want to shoot myself.

However, there's no way I'm about to tell Edward that I want his fingers all over me again. But the way he's looking at me right now, his eyes all dark and piercing, makes me think that if I say that, he might not laugh. Of course, I opt for the safe route.

"I guess I was just wishing that we were alone," I breathe out into his ear, so nobody else can hear me.

Edward's hand comes up and rests on mine, which has somehow landed on his thigh. In one quick motion he pulls me up, mutters to everyone that we're going out for a smoke, and we'll be right back. We leave in such a hurry, I'm only able to grab my coat, and my purse with my cigs are still on the couch. As I'm whisked away, I catch Alice's eye as she looks at me curiously. I just shrug my shoulders, grinning a huge ass smile, knowing that something fun is about to happen. Alice seems to catch what's going on finally, and I know that she'll give us some privacy. I'm hoping for a little making out up against the wall of the Hood. So, when Edward pulls me away from the Hood I'm momentarily confused. Then I hear the beep of his car's alarm and realize we're getting in his car. He's silent as he opens the door for me and still doesn't say anything as he turns it on. Figuring he'll clue me in eventually, I start to pull on my seat belt when his hand shoots out.

"You won't need that," he says as he turns to face me.

I'm almost certain that the confusion I'm now feeling is plain as day on my face, and it gets even more pronounced when Edward scurries into the backseat of the car, climbing in between the two front seats.

"What's going on?" I ask, because now I'm just totally confused.

Edward looks at me like it's crystal clear, but when I shake my head to indicate that I still have no fricking clue what's going on, he relents.

"You wanted to be alone. I'll never pass up that kind of offering, so I made it happen. It's chilly out though, and I don't want you to freeze."

"So..." I say, piecing this together. "We're having some alone time in your car?"

Edward nods, and I giggle, thinking this is equal parts sweet and silly. I grab on to the extended hand Edward offers and allow him to help pull me through to the backseat. I land with a bit of a thud, falling onto Edward in the process. My hair hangs around our faces, cloaking us in semi-darkness. It's already pretty dark outside, despite it only being around dinner time, but winter days tend to allow night time to sneak up on you if you're not paying attention. I figure the growing blackness will work in our favor.

"We need to be quick, though," Edward whispers as his breath washes over me. "We don't want anyone coming out here."

I think back to when we left and pray that Alice will be awesome and make sure everyone else stays put. I can't concentrate on that any longer, however, because Edward's lips have found my neck, and he starts to leave wet kisses along it. While it's not freezing in his car, it's still cold enough that each time his lips leave my skin, goosebumps grow in their place. I shiver, but it's the good kind, as Edward moves his way down my body. He repositions us so I'm laying down lengthwise against the backseat and he's kneeling above me. His hands begin roaming all over my body, and my eyes immediately flutter closed under his touch. It feels really good, and when he gropes at my boobs, I instinctively thrust my chest into his hands, sighing as he squeezes them. He doesn't stay there long though, and soon his hands start traveling lower until they've made it to the waistband of my pants, and I nibble on my lower lip, finally getting what I had daydreamed about earlier.

My eyes fly open when I feel one of Edward's fingers dip below my undies, teasing me. I'm already soaking wet, and I can feel myself throbbing, like all the blood in my body has zeroed in on that one spot. I need more. Thankfully, Edward is a mind reader or something because he's busy unbuttoning my pants so he has better access to my girly bits. I'm glad he has the heat turned on because instead of just sticking his hand in, he actually pulls my pants down so they're around my ankles. His fingers go back to teasing me, lightly skimming me through my undies and I'm sure he can feel how insanely wet I am. Yeah, there's no way I'm wearing these the rest of the night. Somebody needs to create underwear made out of a Sham-Wow or something , because I don't know what other people do, but I just cannot deal with wearing completely soaked undies.

So, it's no surprise that when he finally sticks his fingers below my undies that they come out glistening like he's wearing some of that stupid cupcake lotion Marcus gave me. I feel my cheeks flame with heat, and I get so embarrassed. Edward doesn't seem to care, because he dips his fingers back inside me, and suddenly, I don't seem to care about anything other than the burst of twingles I'm feeling as fingers move in and out of me. After a couple minutes of really awesome finger fucking, Edward pulls his hand away, leaving me feeling rather cold and empty. He only makes it worse when he pulls my undies all the way down as well, allowing a cool stream of air to give me the chills down there. I wonder if vags can get goosebumps...

I whimper slightly at the loss of Edward's fingers and the cool air, and I'm pretty certain I sound like a dog who wants more food. Real sexy. It's apparently sexy enough for Edward because he braces both of his hands on my hips and begins kissing my neck. His rough thumbs brush over my hip bones, and it actually feels really good. I want to plead with him to have his fingers head back there because I wasn't done with them yet, but he seems to have other plans. Edward continues to kiss my neck, trailing lower and lower until he's nuzzling my boobs. He really seems to like to do that. As he passes over one of my now super perky nipples, he nips at it through my shirt, causing me to jolt a bit.

"You like that?" he asks, and I nod, hardly able to make a sound louder than a strangled groan.

Strangled groans are totally not hot.

I can feel Edward's lips turn into a smile as he moves over and bites at my other nipple, sending a shiver throughout my body.

"Unf..."

I can really be quite eloquent when I want to be.

Edward plays with my boobs a litle longer, rubbing his face over them and nipping at them in the most delicious way ever. He's not even touching me down there, but I'm already feeling the pulsing heat that usually comes with a side of twingles and I start writhing around, needing more friction.

"Ahhhh..." I call out as Edward nudges up my shirt and kisses my stomach. His kisses land lower and lower until he is entirely too close to my vag. I have an idea of where he's going and while it excites me, I'm also absolutely terrified beyond belief. My instinctive reaction is to clamp my legs shut, but Edward seems to realize that I'm freaking. His fingers starts to stroke me, and my legs fall open all on their own. Edward's nose brushes against the top of where my pubes would be if I still had them, and without meaning to, I totally thrust my hips up into his face. Edward takes that as encouragement and dives further down.

I really, really want to chillax and enjoy this, but my brain will not shut the fuck up. I'm freaking out about a million things. What if Edward hates the way I smell down there? I'm always hearing people joke about smelly vags, and I really, really don't want Edward to think I have, like, tuna fish-vag. Not that I actually know what tuna fish-vag is, but I've heard Lauren and Jessica yapping about it at school and how they douche or some weird shit like that so their vags smell like flowers. That just seems absolutely ridiculous to me because I don't think I want my vag to smell like roses. It already smells fine, not like I spend a ton of time smelling it or anything. But, you know, you just know what you smell like. And...I think mine smells like something good, like cupcakes or Fritos or something - both things Edward likes to eat - so I'm holding out hope that he's okay with it not being a bed of roses down there.

Edward doesn't seem put off my scent, though, as his tongue pokes out and he flicks it at me, causing me to giggle. He immediately pulls away and looks up at me. Edward is quite the sight - staring up from in between my thighs in the backseat of his car. It's kind of hot.

"What?" he asks, looking a little nervous as his eyebrows knit up in the center of his forehead.

"Oh, it just tickled, that's all."

"That's all? Bella, you can't laugh while I'm doing this," Edward says, and he's totally serious business right now. "I'm not sure if my ego can take you laughing while I do... this."

I feel kind of bad because while I totally didn't mean to laugh and it wasn't directed at him at all, I can see what he means. I would have been mortified if he started laughing while I was blowing him. I nod my head solemnly and apologize.

"I've just...nobody's ever...this is new," I finally spit out.

"Oh...right," he says, as if just remembering. "Do you not want me to?"

I definitely want him to. Even if it's going to be in the backseat of his car in the middle of freaking January. I really want him to.

"Please," I nod.

Edward's anxious face turns into a wicked grin within seconds, and he shifts his body so he's back between my legs, when I realize this is it. I don't want my overactive brain to ruin this for me, so this time, I close my eyes and will myself to just concentrate on how awesome it feels. It still tickles at first, but I think I end up doing a decent job of transforming my giggles into moans. Or I just sound like a cat in heat. Either way, Edward seems to respond to the noises I'm making and becomes a bit more aggressive down there. I feel him licking me in different ways, and it's almost as if he's spelling out letters with his tongue, but I doubt that's it, because who would actually do that? Instead, I concentrate on how I'm feeling and realize it feels good. Really good, actually. And really...wet. But I can't find it in me to care. I can't help but be into it because I've never felt something this awesome before. It also doesn't hurt that Edward seems to be into it as well. Every time I thrust my hips up or moan, he gets more into it, growling and plunging his tongue further into me. Every so often he lets out a low moan as well, the vibrations ripping through me and causing me to melt even further. It all feels too good, even better than when his fingers are down there. When I look down, all I can see is his head, moving wildly back and forth, his shaggy hair brushing up against the inside of my thighs. I'm so close to getting off; I just need a little bit more. I wonder why Edward isn't using his hands, and I try to look down to check it out. One hand is on my hips, trying to keep me from bucking off the seat entirely, while the other one is...oh.

"Ungh..."

I let out a horrible breathy groan when I see that Edward is thrusting into his own hand, essentially dry humping it. The more he gets into eating me out, the harder he thrusts into his hand, and the more turned on I get. Soon we're both moving our hips around wildly, and a warm buzzing feeling takes over my entire body, shivers running up and down my legs. I am so close, and can feel my belly tighten as a surge of heat pulses through me. Calling out, I let the twingles take over as my body writhes under Edward's tongue.

I look down to see Edward slumped against my legs, his brow all sweaty. I push his hair back behind his ear, and he turns towards me, smiling lazily. I return his smile, but that's about the extent of what I'm capable of at the moment. I just lay there, unable to remove the goofy grin from my face, while everything below my belly button is still vibrating. I attempt to sit up, but my legs feel like jelly, so I stay there a second, enjoying this quiet moment. It doesn't last too long, as some icy air from outside seems to seep in through the windows, and I shiver, this time from the cold.

Edward notices and helps me pull my good-for-nothing undies back up, and I really wish I had some tissues or napkins because they're really chilly and uncomfortable right now. I debate taking them off, but then worry about getting my pants all icky, so I just deal with it like the big girl I am. If it means having experienced Edward's magical tongue, I'm more than happy to do so. I have no clue what Edward does with himself, but he seems to be okay with a pant-load of jizz, so I don't say anything. He opens the car door and a huge gust of cold wind pours inside, freezing me to my bones. Edward wraps an arm around me as he guides us out of the car. I'm glad he's supporting me because I'm still unsure if I can stand by myself. I prop myself up against his car, shivering, as he goes to the front and finally turns it off.

I walk back towards the Hood, hoping to get warm, but Edward holds me back.

"Cig?" he asks.

And despite the fact that I'm super cold, my undies are soaked completely through, and my legs feel like jelly, I nod my head in agreement because there is no way I can resist the sweet smile and wide eyes of the boy in front of me. He rolls us two cigarettes, and before he gets a chance to even put his in his mouth, I stand up on my tip toes to kiss him.

"Thanks," I mumble against his lips.

I can taste myself on his mouth, and it's totally not as gross as I thought it would be, so that's cool.

"Anytime," he replies with a smirk, and I can't help but feel the cockiness roll off of him.

It's kind of hot.

I place my cigarette in my mouth, allowing Edward to light it and take a deep inhale. I hold the smoke in for a second before blowing it out, watching it quickly dissipate into the frigid, winter air. Having held the smoke in my lungs for a bit makes me lightheaded, so I lean against Edward for support and melt a little when he ends up lacing our empty hands together. He gives my hand a quick squeeze and then goes back to smoking his cigarette, while a comfortable silence envelops us. I still can't believe we just did that in his car, and it seems almost a bit cliche - the backseat hook up. I smile to myself, still giddy over what just happened, and I almost don't care that everyone inside the old shack in front of me probably knows exactly what we've been doing. Well...probably not exactly.

We finish our cigarettes and walk back towards the Hood. Before he opens the door, Edward pulls me in close for a hug, capturing my lips in a smokey-tinged kiss. As he steps away, his teeth hold on to my lower lip, tugging it slightly before letting go.

"Mmm..." Edward hums, and I can't agree more.

* * *

**A/N: **hee hee...I love these two crazy kids.

Ok, so **Fandom Gives Back** has started and I've h00red myself out in 2 different ways. I was too nervous to put just myself up for auction, but...here's what we've got:

If you read my collab, **That's What We Said**, with **LaraIsAwkward** (under the FF name **AwkwardYoga**), you can buy a chance to influence our story! If you don't read it - why the heck not? Go check that shiz out, we're funnnnnnneh! You can see all the details for the FGB auction, here: http:/www(DOT)thefandomgivesback(DOT)com/item(DOT)php?id=310

Also - I've paired up with the fabulous blog, **So You Think You Can Write**, to offer myself up for a possible interview. You can bid on a group of authors and then select one to interview for the blog. Check out the details on that one here: http:/www(DOT)thefandomgivesback(DOT)com/item(DOT)php?id=400 So, you know - if you have any burning questions for me - here's your chance to ask!


	17. Bochner & Trail Mix

**A/N:** *waves* Hi! As always - big huge thanks to everyone reading along - you're all awesome and I'm glad we can go on this silly, fun journey together. I have so much I want to say before this update, but I'm afraid it will all just be word vomit, so I'll keep it short. You might need a big old hit from Frosty before reading this. Or after it. Either way... don't worry too much, though. I will definitely update next Friday, so you won't have to wait too long. Also...if you end up needing some comfort, feel free to pop on over to The Director's Cut, where the recent StonerwardPOV posted earlier this week. It's different...that's for sure *snicker*

If you want to come yell at me after this chapter...you can find me hiding on twitter (link in my profile).

Lots of love, thanks and a hit of the good stuff for my fantabulous beta Lexiecullen17. The things she will do for Stonerward... In fact, I think he's with her now, snuggling in bed...I'm going to go join them. Thanks and spanks to Carenl and Hunterhunting for prereading this and holding my hand. xo

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high.

* * *

The next month passes by in a comfortable routine of too much schoolwork, afternoons at the Hood, and weekends spent with either Edward, Alice, or the whole gang. Things seem to be going really well. Almost too well, and it makes me sort of wary. Edward, however, is the epitome of chill, kicking ass at school and perfecting the art of relaxation in his time off. I'm both in awe and slightly jealous of his laid back nature. I figure if any of it were to rub off on me, it already would have done so, especially with all the rubbing up on me Edward likes to do.

While Edward may seem completely laid back, it doesn't escape my attention that he's still a closet perfectionist. He just doesn't stress over it as much. His grades in school are mostly all A's, and the few times I've seen him score any lower, he takes it in stride but doubles his efforts in that particular class. School isn't the only place where he applies himself. Ever since that time in the backseat of his car, Edward's main goal has been trying to get me not to giggle while he's going down on me. I have to say, practice makes perfect. And while it might still tickle at times, I hardly ever laugh. In fact, the majority of noises coming out of my mouth can only be described as porn-star like moans.

It's been about a week since we've all hung out because most of us were slammed with research papers in our history classes. But they've all been turned in, and we're looking to let off some steam. The weather is still gray and chilly, so a nice cozy afternoon snuggled up against Edward in the Hood, sounds perfect. Edward follows me to my house so we only have to take one car. I quickly drop my bag off inside the house, grab some trail mix I made earlier and rush back to the warmth of Edward's car. He's blasting some classic Zappa, and I smile widely as I slide in, shutting the door behind me.

"You like?" he asks, taking in my smile.

"I love," I reply, overly conscious of my word choice.

Edward doesn't seem to notice, and instead, he just grins back before pulling out of the driveway and heading over to Aro's. I zone out on the quick drive over, completely a slave to my thoughts. I've come so close to telling Edward I love him the past few weeks but stop myself short before ever getting the words out. What if he doesn't love me back? What if he just laughs in my face? I mean, I'm sure he wouldn't actually laugh in my face, but I still cringe at the thought. Instead, I just don't say anything and pray he says it first. I stop dwelling on the does he/doesn't he debate that rages on in my head because we've finally made it to Aro's, and Edward's calling for me to hurry it up. Almost everyone else is already inside when we get there. Marcus and Jasper are playing some race car game on the Wii, and even Alice is there, curled up in a ball on the couch reading a magazine. She drops it as soon as she sees me.

"Bella!" she calls out, wrapping me into a hug.

I fall down onto the couch with her, laughing so hard my cheeks hurt.

"What's got you all excited?" I ask.

She shakes her head fiercely and not-so-discreetly nods in Jasper's direction.

"I'll tell you later," she whispers, trying to contain her bouncing energy.

I wonder what happened between the two of them, and for a moment I wonder if they finally did it. I really want to ask Alice but know that we can't get into a conversation about it right now. Instead, I flop back onto the couch and peer over her shoulder at the magazine in her lap, while Edward heads over to the TV to watch Marcus and Jasper. It's nice and quiet for a bit, except for the random shouts from the boys. The perfume ads from Alice's magazine start to make my head hurt, and my stomach growls in protest of the fact that I haven't eaten in a while, so I figure it's time for a snack.

Reaching into my bag, I grab the trail mix I brought and scoop out a few handfuls. Alice digs in as well, but the boys seem too occupied to even notice at the moment. I'm savoring the perfect mixture of salty pretzels and sweet chocolate when the door to the Hood bursts open.

"Bow down to the master, motherfuckers!" Aro shouts as he waves a large white envelope in his hand.

Alice and I both spin around to look at him, while the guys grumble as they pause their game. Aro struts in, waving the envelope like it's the secret to world peace.

"What the fuck, dude? We're almost done with our race," mutters Marcus.

"I got my letter today!" Aro says with a grin, and while I have no idea what he's talking about, understanding dawns on Marcus' face, and he high fives his friend.

Jasper and Edward seem to understand as well because they offer him fists to bump and words of congratulations, although Edward doesn't look one-hundred percent thrilled, to be honest. I try to catch his eye, but he doesn't look in my direction, and I have the unsettling feeling that he's avoiding me for some reason.

"What letter?" Alice asks, clearly as confused as I am.

Aro's couldn't smile wider if he tried, and he hands Alice the envelope with a flourish as he answers her.

"My Brandeis acceptance letter, of course. I applied early decision two," he explains, his shit eating grin staying in place. "I wasn't one hundred percent sure about the school in time for early decision, but they had a round two of it, and after I visited, I just knew it was the right place for me. And clearly they know I'm the right person for them."

"Oh, wow," I say, jumping up and give Aro a quick hug. "Congrats! That's really great!"

I sit back down on the couch while Alice goes to give Aro a hug as well. I'm happy for him, I really am. But...it's just one more reminder that I still have no idea what the hell I'm doing next year. I notice that in all the excitement, the Wii game has been abandoned, and Edward and Jasper are nowhere to be found.

"Where are the guys?" I ask Alice, and she shrugs while looking around the small space.

"Maybe they went out for a cigarette?" she suggests.

"Maybe," I agree, wondering why Edward didn't invite me along.

While I fish through my purse for my cigs, Aro pulls out Frosty, setting the bong right in the middle of the table. Marcus pulls a little tin out and begins to pack it with some herb, and I stand up to excuse myself for a second.

"Tell those fuckers outside that they better be in here for celebratory bong hits asap!" Aro calls out as I walk towards the door.

"Will do!" I shout back before heading outside.

I see the guys leaning against the trunk of Jasper's car, and they look like they're in the middle of a deep discussion. I know it's totally wrong, but after the weird feeling I had earlier, I can't help but walk quietly towards them, hoping to maybe hear something. They haven't noticed me yet, and I make my way over slowly, making out muffled words before I can clearly hear what they're talking about.

"I don't know man," Edward says, and he sounds frustrated.

I can't see his face clearly, but if I could, I bet he'd most likely be furrowing his eyebrows. What does he not know?

"Dude...emo doesn't look good on you. I can't believe you haven't said anything. You just need to tell her. She's a big girl. I'm sure she'll be fine," Jasper replies, and I can only assume they're talking about me...right?

"Yeah, I know. But what if she gets upset? Bella's totally cool, but I don't know. Sometimes they can get all crazy, and what if she feels..."

_SNAP. _

In my attempt to get closer, I step on what seems to be the loudest branch in all of Aro's driveway. _Shit!_ Edward stops talking immediately and both boys turn around and stare at me. I do my best to seem totally nonchalant, like I've just walked out. Unfortunately, my mouth and my brain are not communicating today.

"Oh, hey guys, what's up?" I start to ramble. "Just came out here for a smoke, and look! You guys are here too. How funny. Not like, ha-ha funny, more like funny strange. Like a strange coincidence, you know?"

"Um, yeah..." snorts Jasper, trying his best not to break out into a full-fledged laugh. "I was just about done, but I'm sure Cullen will hang here with you for a bit."

Before Edward can answer for himself, Jasper playfully punches his shoulder as he gives him a pointed look and then dashes inside, ruffling up my hair as he passes me.

"Hey..." I say, almost shyly, as I go and stand in Jasper's abandoned spot.

"Hey," Edward replies with a smile, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

I wonder if I should just ask him outright what the fuck is going on. It would save me from speculating the worst, since I already have a list of heart shattering ideas conjured up in my mind. Instead, I pluck out a cigarette and allow Edward to light it for me, choosing silence to the battery of questions I'd rather be asking.  
_  
What were you talking about?_

_What do you need to tell me?_

_Do you want to break up with me?_

The questions swim around in my head, making me feel almost ill, like my stomach is starting to cave in on itself. I lean further against the car for support and relax a little when Edward puts his arm around me. My head immediately rests on his shoulder, and we stay like that for a minute while I finish my cigarette. Before I'm able to turn around and head back inside, Edward pulls me towards him and kisses me, almost too forcefully. He eases up a bit when I squeak out a surprised gasp, but he licks my lips before releasing me.

"Mmm..." he hums. "Chocolatey."

I finally manage to crack a real smile and nod my head.

"There's some trail mix I made back inside."

He doesn't need to be told twice, and his eyes light up at the prospect of chocolate. I grab his hand, and we head back in to the Hood, forgetting the weirdness between us for the moment. Everything seems fine once we're back inside, except for the weird looks passed between Jasper and Edward. I promise myself to grab some alone time with Alice later to see if she knows anything. Frosty has already been passed around a few times before we returned, so Aro packs a fresh bowl for Edward and passes it to him.

"To college!" Aro toasts, and everybody shouts out a response.

I grab a handful for myself first and then pass out the bag of trail mix to all the hungry stoners. Soon, the boys have started up some new team game on the Wii, which leaves Alice and me some time to catch up on the couch without any interruption. Once the boys seem sufficiently distracted, I turn towards Alice, hoping for some answers.

"Please tell me you know why Edward is acting so weird," I plead.

"I have no clue," she says with a frown. "He seems okay to me. A little quiet today, maybe. But otherwise..."

She shrugs as she stares at him, not noticing that although he's shouting at the screen and laughing like the other guys, there's something off. Since Alice clearly has no clue what's going on with Edward, I wave it off and focus on her instead, feeling like a bad friend for forgetting about her news. She was bursting at the seams to tell me something earlier, and now's the perfect time.

"So, what's up?"

The words barely leave my lips before she's jumping up and down on the couch, her hands on my shoulders the only thing anchoring her down from bouncing off the walls.

"Okay," she whispers, and I'm amazed at the restraint it takes to have her voice be so quiet. "I know I don't have to tell you this, but it stays between us, right?"

I nod fervently, waiting to hear the big news.

"So...we did it!" she exclaims, her eyes wide. "Jasper and I...we finally did it. And, oh, Bella...it was wonderful. So freaking fantastic. I mean, I didn't actually orgasm the first time. But don't tell Jazz...I think he was nervous. But it was still absolutely fabulous."

I let the news sink in, and a smile spreads across my face. I'm genuinely happy for Alice. She seems so thrilled, and I can't help but give her a huge hug.

"That's so great, Alice!"

Alice nods and keeps talking, telling me about how they made it super special. Jasper came over while Alice was still at school. Her parents were gone, and he ended up decorating her bedroom with all sorts of flowers.

"It was a little cheesy, but he was so proud of himself that I couldn't help but love it. Oh, and speaking of..." she trails off, her cheeks flushed.

"What?" I ask, wondering what else could have happened beyond this huge step.

"We exchanged 'I love you's!' finally! I mean, I knew we were close to doing so, but it all happened at once, and it was just perfect. So, so perfect!"

"That's awesome!" I say, and I really do mean it.

Alice stares wistfully over at Jasper, and when he catches her eye, he grins right back at her. It's so freaking cute, I just might puke. In fact, my stomach actually feels all weird, so I make an excuse and run outside. The cold burst of fresh air that hits my face helps immensely, and I brace myself against the outside of the Hood while I calm myself down. I can still totally be happy for my best friend while being insanely jealous, right? Because that's what it feels like right now. I know that whatever Edward is keeping from me is also playing a part in this near-panic attack, and I'm so close to just rushing in there and demanding he tells me what's going on. Thankfully, my pack of cigs is still on me, so I pull one out, lighting it quickly.

After the first long inhale, I can feel my nerves start to settle, and now I'm just angry. Why can't I have the stupid, cheesy flowers and the boyfriend who tells me he loves me? Why is my boyfriend the one who is just too relaxed for his own damn good? I know none of these questions are going to get answered with me hiding out here, so I decide to finish my cigarette and try to see if I can get some alone time with Edward. I hear the door to the Hood creak open, and a flood of relief washes over me because I think it's Edward coming out to check on me. When I turn to look, I let out a breath, a bit deflated that it's only Marcus.

"Hey Bella," he says, nodding in my direction.

"Hey Marcus, what's up?"

"Oh, Jasper and I lost, and he's sucking Alice's face off while Aro and Edward go to sudden death against each other. I came out here for a bit," he explains with a shrug.

I honestly don't blame him because I don't think I could stay in there either with the two love birds making out. I join Marcus as he slides to the ground, sitting up against the Hood.

"So, that's pretty cool about Aro getting into Brandeis," I say, trying to make conversation.

"Yeah, I guess," sighs Marcus as he closes his eyes. "It's just...now all three of them know where they're going to end up next year, and I'm still waiting. I mean, I'm sure I'll get in somewhere good, but it's the waiting part that sucks, you know?"

I nod, but my mind is stuck on something he said.

"What do you mean by all three of them?" I ask, because I swear he must have misspoken.

"Oh," Marcus answers, sitting up straighter and turning his head slightly to look at me. "Well, you know Whitlock got in with early decision to NYU, right?"

I nod, having known about that for a while.

"Well, Aro just got to Brandeis, obviously. And Cullen found out about Yale a couple weeks ago, so that lucky son-of-a-bitch is all set too. I'm just hoping that I have a good amount of schools to choose from. It seems like everyone and their mother is fucking fleeing to the East Coast. Not that I thought we'd all go to the same school. But can you imagine? It could be like fucking _PCU_! We could all live in the same house and George Clinton could play our parties. Anyway, I applied to a bunch of schools out there, so..."

I'm pretty sure Marcus keeps talking, but I'm not listening at all. In fact, the only thing I can hear is the phrase 'Cullen found out about Yale a couple weeks ago.' It repeats over and over again in my head, like some sort of broken record. What the hell? How could Edward have gotten in to Yale, and I'm completely unaware of that fact? I would think this is something you would discuss with people, like your parents, friends, the check out guy at Target, and oh...maybe your girlfriend? The stupid cigarette I just smoked is now worthless, as my breathing speeds back up, and my face prickles with heat, although this time it's more from anger than embarrassment.

I close my eyes and count to ten and when I open them again, Marcus' face is inches from my own.

"Bella? Are you okay? I've been calling your name like five times already, and you haven't said anything. Did you smoke too much?"

I shake my head and move myself away from Marcus.

"I...I'll be okay," I lie, because that's the furthest thought from the truth right now. "I, um...I think I need to go home, though. I'm not feeling well. Can you go see if Alice can drive me?"

The last thing I want right now is for Edward to see me like this. We need to talk, but I'm having a mini freak out, and I know this isn't the best time to do it. I just don't understand why he's been lying to me. Alice comes running out, my bag clutched in her hand, as she looks me over.

"What happened?" she asks, her eyes betraying her worry.

"Can you just take me home?" I ask, not wanting to talk about it, even with her.

I know the moment I start to say anything, I'll end up in tears, and I'd at least like to wait until I'm in the comfort of my own home to do so.

"Sure, let's go," she says, and I have to give Alice points for being the best friend ever.

I'm so glad she doesn't press me. Instead, she helps me up to my feet and guides me to her car. Just as I'm shutting the door, Edward rushes over and pounds on the window. I shake my head slightly, not even looking at him.

"Bella! What's going on? Are you okay?" he shouts, and it sounds all muted through the glass.

"Can we just go?" I ask Alice, who's eying me warily.

"Um, yeah, sure."

Alice throws the car into drive and shrugs at Edward, who's just staring at us as we peel out of there. Alice drops me off but only after making me promise I will call her at some point. Five minutes later, I'm on my bed, sobbing. How could I have been so stupid? Of course Edward doesn't love me. If he can't even tell me he got accepted into fucking Yale, how can he ever tell me he loves me? My phone keeps buzzing, and I finally pick it up, looking at it through swollen eyes. There are five missed calls and a bunch of text messages. I scroll through them and realize I should at least answer one of them. Edward seems worried, although I have no idea why.

_I'm okay. Just wasn't feeling well and didn't want to ruin your fun. Will call when I'm better. - B _

It isn't a total lie, and I know we do have to talk eventually, but I just want to put it off for as long as possible.

_Oh. I thought you were pissed at me for something. You seemed weird today. - E  
_

I wonder if we're really going to have this conversation now, via text, but I can't help myself as I respond.

_I seemed weird? You seemed weird. Also, congrats on getting into Yale. - B  
_

I know that last part is super passive aggressive of me, but I needed to get it out there. Now he knows that I know, and I wonder what he's going to do about it. I'm not surprised when he doesn't answer me right away. I am a little shocked to see my phone ring, though, after a few minutes pass. I debate not answering it for a moment, but finally I do, my voice hoarse and thick when I speak.

"Hello?"

"Bella, hey. Thanks for answering," Edward says, and his voice makes him sound thousands of miles away.

"Yeah."

"So...you found out about Yale?" he asks, and I can tell he sounds nervous.

"Uh huh."

Clearly I'm not in a speaking mood tonight. My answers are clipped and short, and I have no energy to really get into this now.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything before," he sighs.

"That's fine. It's your choice who you share your news with."

I do my best to keep my voice from wavering because I don't believe myself for a second. He should have fucking told me.

"Oh, um. Not many people really know. I still have till May to actually decide if I'm going. I mean, I don't know if I'm going. You didn't apply to Yale, right?"

The way he asks that question breaks my heart. It's like he knows I can't get in, but he feels the need to ask me anyway...is he trying to be polite? Because he's coming off as a self righteous dickhead right about now. My grades might not be as good as his, and I might need to work my ass off a lot harder to achieve them, but I'm not an idiot. Clearly, Edward doesn't see it the same way. Also, I'm pretty sure he knows I didn't apply since we sat at my kitchen table stuffing the damn college application envelopes and sending them off together. He knows my list, and up until this afternoon, I was certain I knew all the schools he had applied to.

"No," I finally answer, breaking the silence.

"Oh. Yeah, I didn't think so."

And with that, I feel the tub of salt he pours into my open wound. My heart clenches and my stomach rolls. I think I'm going to be sick.

"Hey Edward, can we do this another time? I have to go," I breathe out in a rush. "Bye."

I hang up before he can have the chance to say no, and then I fall back into my bed, my body too empty to shed anymore tears.

* * *

**A/N: **I know many of you are here for the fluff, and I promise...we'll be back to gagging on pubes soon enough...but, one of the most important things I try to do with this fic is stay real, and real shit like this happens in high school(at least it did to me...). But...if you remember high school, you'll know it never lasts long, and it won't here either.

Trust me?


	18. Crowe & Milkshakes

**A/N: **Huge thanks to all of you fabulous peeps for sticking with me. Can I say it makes me giggle when all the closet angst h00rs popped out after the last chapter? I love you all - angst h00rs and wusspervs alike! xo

Thanks to Lexiecullen17 for being my babe of a beta and for giving Stonerward the spanking and snuggling he both deserved and needed. *snicker*  
Big spanks to my h00rs...I mean prereaders...who make me smile with their sprinkles - HunterHunting, Carenl and joining us for this chap, theladyingrey42. xo

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high.

* * *

I wake up the next morning with my hair plastered to my face, the dried tears having adhered it to my skin from the night before. Sitting up, my head begins pounding, a throbbing headache settling in due to a fitful night of sleep or maybe from too much crying. Either way, I trudge out of bed to the bathroom where I quickly down two Advil. I debate for a moment whether or not to take a shower, but I figure the hot water will be soothing, and if the person staring back at me in the mirror is any indication, a shower will do some good.

I have no idea how long I'm in there, but I'm sure it's a while. Once the water turns lukewarm and then finally ice cold, I know it's definitely been too long. I just can't help it. One moment I'm lathering up the shampoo in my hair and the next I'm remembering the time Edward told me he loves the way my hair smells. That starts off the waterworks, and I collapse to the floor. Shivering from the cold, I stay on the slick tile, staring down at my fingers, pruny and wet from a mixture of tears and water from overhead. Finally, it becomes too cold to stay in the shower, and I pull myself up and out of there.

Throwing on some clothes, I finally head downstairs when my rumbling stomach alerts me that I should eat, despite not being hungry at all. I find a note in the kitchen from Charlie letting me know he'll be gone for most of the day, and I'm relieved. At least I don't need to explain to him why my face is all splotchy and we've run out of tissues.

I open the fridge to see what we have to eat, and only when the telephone rings do I realize that I've been standing in front of the open door for at least five minutes. I'm not sure if Edward would call my house, but I don't want to chance it, so I let the machine get it. After a few rings I hear Charlie's gruff voice telling the caller to leave a message and my breath hitches, waiting to see who it is.

"Hey Bella, it's Alice. I know you're there, I can see your car in the driveway. I'm outside right now and am about to knock on the door, so you better answer."

Just as the phone hangs up, I hear a pounding on the door. _Sheesh._ For such a small girl, Alice really packs a punch. Knowing she most likely won't give up, I head over to the front door, opening it a crack and allowing Alice in.

"Oh, Bella!" She frowns. "You look like..."

She waves her hands in front of her face, like what she was about to say doesn't matter, and sets some things down on the side table so she can throw herself at me, and wrap me up in a hug. I hug her back, but I'm afraid that if I start talking I'll start crying again, and my pounding head is still angry with me over that. Alice pulls me into my own living room and has me sit on the couch, telling me she'll be right back. Not a minute later, she's running back in, thrusting a tall cup into my hand.

"I figured you hadn't eaten. I never do when I'm in a funk. So, I brought you this. It's a milkshake - drink!" she says enthusiastically, and I have to admit it does look good.

I take a few sips to start and end up downing the whole thing quickly. Alice looks at me and nods sagely, and then hands me another one. I look at her like she's crazy, but she just shakes her head.

"Drink."

I do, and before long, the piercing brain freeze I have is a welcome distraction from the other aches my body and mind are dealing with.

"Ungh," I moan, closing my eyes as I curl into a ball.

Alice rubs my back while she whispers soothingly to me.

"Do you...do you want to talk about it?" she asks, and then continues speaking when I don't really answer. "He was all broken up yesterday. I went back there after I dropped you off, and he was unhinged. Totally not like him."

At this revelation, I sit up, looking at Alice.

"Yeah?" I ask, finding myself desperately wanting to know just how upset he is.

I wonder if Edward's upset that I found out. Clearly, I'm living up to the stereotype of the crazy girl Edward was worried about. He even mentioned as much to Jasper. He probably didn't want to tell me because he's not ready to talk about next year, which means he doesn't want to keep this going past graduation. My stomach churns at the thought and tears start to prick at the corners of my eyes again.

"Yeah, he was asking me all sorts of questions, but I really didn't know so I couldn't tell him much. He got frustrated after that and just ended up leaving. What happened, Bella? I asked Jasper, but he said it wasn't his story to tell."

I actually found it within me to smile, touched by Jasper's thoughtfulness. I'm sure there's some weird 'bros before hos' mentality there, but the fact that he didn't want to gossip about this is pretty stand up of him. I take a deep breath and just let it all out. I tell Alice about my talk with Marcus and how he let it slip that Edward got into Yale. I can tell by Alice's gasp that she didn't know about it either, which made me feel a bit better.

"And...it's not just that he lied to me. I mean, maybe it wasn't even a lie," I acquiesce. "Maybe he really was just keeping it under wraps until he decided. But, I don't know about that because even Marcus fucking knew. Why would he tell Marcus before me? But, okay, I can forgive him for that. I'm sure he's all stressed out, and it's a big decision. But then, we talked a little bit yesterday, and while we didn't say much, basically it sounds like he thinks I'm stupid. Stupid! Why the hell is he even with me if he thinks I'm some moron? It's not like my blow jobs are _that _good."

My joke falls flat, and Alice just stares up at me with sad eyes.

"Don't," she says with a shake of her head. "Guys are stupid, Bella. I mean, I'm not saying that to excuse what Edward did. But, if I got pissed for all the lame shit Jasper does, we'd never have time for the good stuff. You need to talk to him. You know that, right?"

I nod my head, agreeing with her. Alice is spot on. I know if we talk we can figure this out, but at the same time, I'm too chicken shit to talk to him. Part of me is nervous that talking about this will only lead to bad things. I don't want to give him the chance to end things. I may be really angry and sad, but I don't want to lose him. Even though I'm pissed that Edward lied, we're still together, and if I can hold off on talking to him, we can be together for a little while longer. I know Alice will yell at me if I tell her any of this, so I just snuggle into her side and let her flip on the television, not even cracking a joke as she turns on Lifetime. I end up falling asleep to an episode of _Designing Women_.

**x O x O x O x**

I decide to spend Sunday by myself and not in a self-pitying way either. However, that's mostly because I keep myself busy. I use the morning to clean the house, burning off some energy by vacuuming the carpet and scrubbing down the bathrooms. Once the house is sparkling to my satisfaction, I make a list and head over to the grocery store to stock up on some necessities because I know Charlie will never get around to doing it. I do some cooking, making a few meals for the week, and then after eating lunch I finish up my homework. Despite having completed a long list of tasks on my 'to-do' list, it's only three in the afternoon when I finally sit down on the couch and take a moment to relax. My eyes drift towards my cell phone, and I pick it up hesitantly.

I haven't looked at it since Alice left yesterday, and I wonder how many texts or voicemails Edward may have left. The punch to my stomach that occurs when I realize he hasn't left me any leaves me almost breathless. Without a second thought, my fingers fly over the keys, sending him an innocuous, emotionally void text.

_Hey. How was your day? - B._

I figure if I continue with my plan of avoidance, maybe we can just move past this, despite the gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach that tells me it's a bad idea. I sit there, chewing on a nail, waiting for Edward to respond. Finally, after what seems like forever, he replies.

_Fine. Missed you. Are you okay? - E. _

I answer him truthfully.

_I will be. See you tomorrow? - B. _

Thankfully he answers right away this time, and I hate that I can't read faces or emotions via text.

_Sure. Sleep well. - E. _

**x O x O x O x**

The next day, I stand in front of my closet, agonizing over what to wear. I doubt anyone is going to be scrutinizing what I'm wearing, but I still feel like I'll be on display. I doubt anybody really knows that something happened between me and Edward, and if they do know, I doubt they care. We're not a high profile couple or anything, but that doesn't stop me from feeling like all eyes are on me as I walk down the hall to get to my first period class. I feel mildly nauseous throughout the morning, and to make matters worse, the school is now decked out in bright pink and red hearts in preparation for Valentine's Day.

_Fuck._

Signs reminding us to buy gaudily dyed carnations for our friends and sweethearts as a school fundraiser litter the hallways, as if I needed one more reminder that the boy I'm pretty sure I'm in love with might not want anything to do with me. I slide into my seat behind Edward's with a few minutes before the bell rings. He's there, and it's the first time I've seen him all day. I'm not sure if he's just been busy or if he's avoiding me. While we normally walk to class together, it's not unusual if he's caught up in something or working in the library and instead meets me in class. Before this past weekend, I wouldn't have thought anything of it. Now? I'm steeling myself for him to tell me he's done with me.

"Hey," I whisper, my throat suddenly dry.

"Hey," he responds, as he turns around in his seat. "How are you?"

I shrug and he nods.

"I...I really am sorry," he starts, and I hold up my hand. If we're going to move past this, dwelling on it is not part of the plan.

"Whatever. It's cool. I mean, you don't have to tell me everything." I'm apparently getting better at this whole lying thing, too. "Can we just not talk about it?"

Edward looks me over, and it seems like he wants to say something, but he ends up biting his tongue and just nods.

"Sure, if that's what you want."

"Please."

And with that, he turns around. If I thought I'd feel better, I am clearly crazy, because his defeated shrug kills me. I hardly pay attention in class. Instead, I spent the period doodling nonsense in my notebook. I want to talk to Jasper during photography class, but Mrs. Cope is showing a movie, and anytime I try to whisper to him, I get shushed. I cradle my head in my arms and just close my eyes.

I meet up with Edward after school, hoping we can just go hang at Aro's and easily slip back into our routine. Unfortunately, when I catch up with him, he has other plans.

"Oh, I actually have something to do with Jasper this afternoon. Maybe tomorrow?" he asks, looking uncomfortable.

I shift back and forth between my feet, completely embarrassed.

"Yeah, sure. Totally. Have fun," I say with a wave as I turn back towards my car, not even giving him a hug goodbye.

Instead, I hug my own arms around my waist as I struggle not to let the tears spill down my face until I'm back home.

**x O x O x O x**

The next few days aren't any better. We aren't fighting, but we're definitely not ourselves. We're polite and even joke around a bit, but it feels slightly hollow. Despite Edward's aloof behavior, I still can't help pining away for him like some stupid love sick school girl. I'm a total cliche, and I don't even care. He's my boyfriend, and yet...it feels like we're already miles apart. He might as well be at Yale already.

On Wednesday, we're finally all together hanging out at the Hood. For some reason, clearly a twisted jab at my aching heart, Aro chooses to toss _Say Anything_ on in the background. While the boys smoke and play cards, I find myself unable to tear my eyes away from the screen. I almost wish Edward had a little Lloyd Dobbler in him. Then, he'd know that I'm still hurting when I say that I'm fine. That I'm not actually okay with the fact that he might be going to a school nowhere near one that I can get into next year. That I love him and that this polite silence between the two of us is killing me.

I'm so wrapped up in my thoughts that I don't realize the movie ends until Marcus stands up to switch off the television.

"Man, what a sappy chick flick," he says, rolling his eyes.

I'm about to argue with him that it's anything but, when the conversation switches abruptly.

"Speaking of sappy chick shit...No offense, Swan," Jasper says with a wink in my direction. "But what the fuck is with them pushing those damn flowers at school for Valentine's Day? I am so glad Alice goes to another school some times."

The other guys nod in agreement, but from my angle, I can't see what Edward's reaction is. I don't want him to feel pressured to buy me a stupid, ugly flower. A stupid ugly flower that I kind of want.

"Yeah," I pipe up with. "They're super lame. Such a waste of money. I mean, they should at least be selling something good, like chocolate or something."

Jasper gives me a high five, and even Marcus finds something good to say.

"Cullen, you have one smart chick on your hands."

My cheeks redden instinctively, both out of embarrassment and anger. I'm momentarily reminded that maybe Edward doesn't think I'm all that smart. After all, I apparently didn't bother to apply to Yale. I bite my lip, curious to see how Edward responds, and feel a heavy weight press down on my heart when he only issues a nod and a quiet 'yup' in agreement.

**x O x O x O x**

The rest of the week moves by slower than molasses, and when Friday rolls around, I'm sitting in homeroom like an idiot, checking to see if I have any flowers waiting for me at my desk. I am ninety percent sure I won't, especially after blatantly lying and saying I didn't want any. Of course I want flowers. What girl doesn't? I guess in my mind, I figure that if Edward sends me flowers, even if I said I don't want them, then it means he really likes me... loves me even, and we can just go back to the way things were. As I sit at my empty desk, watching other girls fawn over how many flowers they received, I start to crumble inside slightly. Maybe instead of the stupid flowers, Edward has something else special in mind. I cling to that idea fiercely throughout the rest of the day.

At lunch, Jessica shows off the incredibly ugly fake diamond necklace Mike got her. I keep my mouth shut because otherwise I'll end up warning her that the crappy fake gold chain is just going to end up turning her skin green. I look around, and it seems like there are couples everywhere enjoying the stupidest fake holiday in the world. I mean, really. Who the hell is Saint Valentine anyway? I push away the rest of my red jello and end up spending the rest of lunch outside by the bleachers, remembering when Edward and I sat here after the dance. It was so simple then. So easy. The bell rings, and it's time for Banner's class, but I make a last minute decision not to go. It's not like me to skip class, but the way my stomach is all twisted up in knots, I know the only thing I'll accomplish is blowing red jello-laced chunks all over my desk.

I creep under the bleachers and pull out a cig, so thankful that I thought to stash some in my backpack. I figure that there's enough cover here beneath the metal stairs that I won't get caught, so I light up, inhale a deep drag and close my eyes. I finally open my eyes when I hear somebody walking towards me. I really hope it's not a teacher, because the last thing I need right now is detention. Instead, a ratty pair of sneakers stops right at the bottom of the bleachers, and I see a shadow looking overhead.

"Um...Bella?"

_Shit._

How did he find me here?

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?" Edward asks and crouches down so he can see me through the silver slats.

I want to shout. No, I'm not okay. I'm so beyond okay it's not even funny.

"Yeah," I say instead.

Edward stands back up and then walks around, coming down beneath the bleachers to sit by me.

"Are you sure?" he asks, and now he's just starting to annoy me.

I stub out my cigarette and go to stand up, only to have Edward put his hand on my arm and pull me back down.

"You weren't in class."  
_  
No shit, Sherlock. So glad Yale snapped you and your brilliant mind up when they had the chance. _

I take a deep breath before answering, because I'm _this_ close to allowing my snarky thoughts bubble up to the surface. Apparently, I'm past being sad and I'm now teetering on the line of anger.

"You're not there either."

Edward blows out a breath of air before answering.

"No, I'm not." He sounds exasperated, but I have no idea why. "You...you weren't there. And I got worried. I know I saw you in the hallway earlier, so when you didn't show up..."

"Why didn't you come over and say hi then?" I ask, and before I know it, it all comes pouring out of me. The sadness, the hurt, the build up of a week's worth of walking around like we're fine.

Edward is silent, and it unnerves me. When I look over, his legs are bent and he's tugging at his hair.

"I'm not a mind reader, Bella," he whispers. "I don't know what the hell you want. I said I was sorry. I hate...I hate this." he gestures between the two of us.

My stomach drops and tears immediately form and spill out of my eyes.

"What the hell?" I say, my voice getting louder. "You...you can't just say shit like that. I just want us to be...us. But you lied to me, and then you've just acted weird all week. And you didn't even send me flowers today. Happy fucking Valentine's Day."

I know I probably sound crazy, but I'm angry, and I don't care anymore. I stand up, ready to bolt, but he's faster than I am and jolts up, his hand resting on my waist. I spin around towards him and see his eyes blazing.

"What?" he asks, and his voice is definitely no longer a whisper. "You can't fucking do that! I'm not psychic for fuck's sake. You've acted weird all week too! How was I supposed to know what you wanted? I didn't even know if you wanted me anymore."

"I...I..." I'm not even sure how to respond to that. I stare at him, tears clouding my eyes, and I wipe them so I can see him clearly. He's just staring at me, fuming. Now we're both mad and facing off against each other. This has quickly escalated into something out of control. I have no idea what to say to him. Thankfully, he keeps on talking, spit flying out of his mouth as his words fly through the air, hitting me deep in the gut.

"Fuck!" Edward growls, his face eight different shades of angry red. "I fucking love you Bella Swan!"

My mind spins with everything Edward's just said. He acts like he doesn't care that I've been upset all week, makes me feel like complete shit and then...this? Instead of melting into a pile of mushy goo like I thought I would when he said those words, my hands ball up into fists, and I stand right in front of him, only inches from his face.

"Fuck you, Edward. That isn't fair. You don't get to be all pissy and weird and strange and make me think you're done with me and then come at me with this," I choke out as tears start to spill down my face.

I brush them away with the back of my hand, too angry to be embarrassed at the moment. Edward starts to say something, but I take one more step towards him so we're nose to nose. I drop my voice to a whisper.

"So fuck you, Edward Cullen. I love you too."

I break out into hysterical giggles, clearly having gone mad by the stress and insanity of the situation. I fall into a pile on the ground, my tears and laughter mixing into one crazy mess. Edward slides down next to me, and I crawl into his lap because I just need to touch him. A whole week of no Edward contact is one too many. I have so many things I want to ask him, but the moment I look up into his face, all the words in my brain disintegrate. His eyes are smoldering at my admission and when his hands grip at my hips, I can't help but fall forward, kissing him hard enough to bruise my lips. Edward is completely still for a second, but then one hand moves up my back and threads into my hair, pulling me impossibly closer. He kisses me back and both of us get lost in it. It's not pretty and it's certainly not gentle. It's a clash of lips and teeth and tongue and it feels so fucking good. It feels real and honest and I think we both need it at the moment.

I pull back for a second to take a breath, and my chest is heaving, while my heart clenches, but in the best way possible. It's such a relief from the way it's felt for the last few days. Before I have a chance to find his lips again, Edward's mouth is on my skin, trailing hot kisses down my jaw and onto my neck. He hastily pushes aside my hair as his teeth scrape down my throat, sending a chill up my spine. His lips trace over the path his teeth took and then he applies the slightly pressure, sucking just enough on my pulsing vein, that it feels incredible, but it won't leave a mark. My hands grab at his jacket, pulling him closer to me. I need to feel his lips again and nudge his head back up.

Our kisses ebb and flow between sweet and gentle and fast and needy. Unlike normal, when they usually like to wander, our hands stay firm, gripping each other with no intention of letting go. We kiss until our lips are swollen, and tender to the touch, and even then, I kiss him a few more times for good measure. I'm left, panting, my head cradled in the crook of his neck as my body slumps against his.

"You really love me?" I finally ask after my breathing evens out as looking up at him through thick, still-wet lashes.

"Yeah," he shrugs and actually laughs. "You?"

I punch him playfully on the arm as he tightens his grip on me.

"Yeah," I shrug back, like it's no big deal, despite it being the biggest fucking deal ever.

"I really am sorry, Bella," he says as he strokes my hair, pushing the wet strands away from my face. "It was stupid of me not to tell you about Yale. I was just...scared. I mean, what if you go somewhere far away and don't want to be with me anymore?"

He's scared? I look up at Edward, and he looks all embarrassed. I feel really stupid. Had I actually talked to Edward when this whole thing happened, this past week could have been avoided. I sigh and explain to him exactly why I was hurt. He actually gets a little angry that I thought he felt I was stupid and not worth his time. He makes me promise never to think that again. We make each other promise to never hold shit back and tell the other when something bothers us. We talk some more and both brightened up at the fact that I applied to a few schools somewhat close to Yale. He also asks if I want to come with him on a visit to New Haven when he goes with his family before making his final decision. I know it will be a long shot since Charlie probably will never let me do that, but the offer is still really sweet.

We stay under the bench until it starts to get dark. I hold his hand the entire time, relishing the feel of his skin on mine. When I start to shiver, Edward helps me up, and we walk towards our cars, the last remaining ones in the now empty parking lot. We stand in front of my car, holding each other in a tight hug. Edward tips my face up towards his.

"Love you," he says quietly, and I can't help the girly giggles that bubble out in reaction to hearing that. I step up on tip toes to reach his face and capture his lips with mine.

"Right back atcha," I mumble against his lips before he prevents me from talking even further with nibbles and swipes of his tongue. We make out for a few more minutes before Edward declares that I need to head back home before Charlie sends out the guards to look for me. I sigh, knowing he's right, but not quite ready to give him up after really just getting him back. Finally, I let him go, my fingers pressed to my lips, not wanting this feeling to fade. The stress and shit associated with this past week finally melt with his kisses and declaration.

Edward Cullen loves me.

* * *

**A/N:** *swoons*

Bella loves Edward. Edward loves Bella.

Want to know what I'm loving lately? (all of these can be found in my favorites)

**Paper CutOuts** by TwistedCoincidence and astilbe13

**Dead On My Feet** by Cesca Marie

**Twinned** by Conversed

**Dear Agony** by (my fichubs!) Twiboy

and so many more...but these have been the stand outs this week. All are quirky, beautiful, and maybe even a smidge angsty... all in their own ways (you know, in case you need more now that we're back in fluffy happy territory).

What are **you** loving?


	19. Reitman & Smoked Sausage

**A/N: ***waves hi to everyone* So...after the last two chapters my brain decided it couldn't do much else besides write silly, fluffy fun. I hope that's okay with you all. Thank you all for sticking with me, reviewing, and making me smile! xo

A massive uber thanks to my badass beta Char who was able to work her magic on this chapter despite not having power for a few days. The girl is seriously skilled. Also - sloppy smooches and thanks to my prereaders Caren and Gin...esp to Gin who managed to preread despite being off at H00rfest 2010. You're all the bees knees. xo

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high.

* * *

"Stop it!" I hiss, removing Edward's hand from my thigh for what feels like the thirtieth time.

Edward snorts and attempts for number thirty-one before I scoot my chair further from his.

"Some of us may have already gotten into college, but the rest of us peons need to make sure we don't fuck up our chances for getting into a decent school," I mutter, only partially joking.

While I'm mostly over the whole "forgot to tell my girlfriend about Yale" fiasco, I still haven't been able to forget entirely, and so a snarky comment or two might slip out of my mouth every now and then. Edward, for the most part, takes it all in stride. I think he knows he still has some ass kissing to do.

"Aw, baby. Don't be like that," he says with a pout, batting his ridiculously long eyelashes. I mean, seriously, what guy is blessed with fuckhot long eyelashes like that? I'd kill for them.

I roll my eyes and focus down at my work, truly needing to finish up these math problems. I hear the squeak of a chair moving against the floor as Edward drags himself closer to me again. His fingers trail up my arm and land on my shoulder, which he kneads gently. Brushing aside some hair, he leans over to whisper in my ear.

"I don't think you realize that you're really sexy when you're all focused and stuff," he says as his hot breath tickles at my skin. "You chew on your bottom lip when you're concentrating, and then when you twist your hair around your finger when you're trying to figure out an answer...ungh," he groans.

"Edward!" I shriek, slapping him away. At this rate, I'm never going to finish my homework, so I contemplate just giving up and giving in to his persistent advances. After all, despite my brain telling me to finish the last few problems on the page, my body is talking a whole other story. I don't think it would say no to having those hands and that mouth all over...

"Hi kids!" A bright, cheerful voice breaks through my lust-induced haze.

Esme has really perfected the art of the cockblock, or I guess in my case, the vagblock. Lost in my Edward-fueled thoughts, I didn't even notice that he's now sitting clear across the table from me, holding back laughter. The kid must have super hearing. He always seems to know when Esme's just around the corner.

"Hey, Mom," replies Edward, the picture of innocence. If only his mother knew...

"Hey, Esme," I say while keeping my head down, since I'm pretty sure my cheeks are still a bit flushed.

"So, Bella...we'd love to have you over for dinner tonight. I think I heard Edward mention that your father has to work late, and I'd hate for you to have to eat all by yourself. I'm making one of Edward's favorites tonight. Won't you join us?"

I look over at Edward to see what he thinks, but the little shit just raises his eyebrows at me suggestively and licks his lip. No help there.

"Um...sure?"

"Oh, wonderful!" Esme beams, clapping her hands before fluttering around the kitchen. She starts to prepare for dinner, refusing any help that I try and offer.

"Why don't you two go watch a movie or something. It will probably be about an hour or so before I have everything done and your father's home, Edward," Esme says as she waves us off.

Realizing that I'm only going to get my homework done tonight in the silence of my own home, I acquiesce and stuff my books back into my backpack and follow Edward into the den. He flips through the various movie channels on the cable guide before I spot a movie I somehow haven't seen and tell him to click on it.

"_Thank You For Smoking_?" Edward asks with a smirk. "I think I'm going to like this one..."

"It's not about that, you dork. Alice told me about it. She has some weird thing for Aaron Eckhart of all people. She made me watch _The Dark Knight_ like twenty times because of him. Which really wasn't all that tough because of the awesomeness of Heath Ledger..." I sigh.

"Oh yeah, sounds like a real hardship," snorts Edward before he turns up the volume and snuggles down next to me.

The movie's actually pretty good, filled with some clever dialogue and decent acting. While I'm mostly focused on the movie, I also have to keep a sharp eye on Edward, who's having trouble keeping his hands to himself. Every so often, I'll feel his fingers creep up my leg, toying with the hem of my t-shirt. Swatting them away does nothing, because he just changes tactics and moves them to my shoulder, trying to get underneath through my collar. I sigh and smack his hand away, reminding him that his mother is just upstairs and can come down at any time. And, as if to help me prove my point, Esme comes downstairs only minutes after I pushed Edward's hand off my thigh.

"What are we watching?" Esme asks, flopping down onto the nearby love seat with a sigh.

"_We_ are watching a movie, mom. What are you doing?" Edward asks her, giving Esme a look.

"Oh, Edward," Esme sighs as if Edward just told the funniest joke. "I needed to rest for a moment. Dinner's in the oven, and I want to relax. Is that such a crime?"

Esme seems to focus on me when she asks that question, but clearly Edward is perturbed by her invasion, so I just shrug my shoulders in meek neutrality. When it's clear that Esme isn't going anywhere, Edward relents.

"It's called _Thank You For Smoking_," he explains.

We watch in silence for a few minutes, answering Esme's few questions to help her catch up.

"It's refreshing to watch something that isn't so subtle about the dangers of cigarette smoking," she remarks as she gives Edward a pointed look.

"Uh huh," he says, clearly uncomfortable.

Thankfully, the weird moment passes, and as we watch, I wonder if Esme knows that Edward smokes. He doesn't always smells like cigs. In fact he kind of has a yummy minty aroma to him, probably from the Wint-o-Green Lifesavers he pops all the time. But moms are pretty perceptive, so I'm sure she has some clue. I discreetly try and sniff my shirt to see if I reek like cigs, but am pleased to discover that I smell like the berry deodorant I used this morning.

I smile when Edward slides his hand down towards mine, gently stroking his pinky against mine. The little touches still send shivers up my spine. I settle into the couch a bit more, so our arms are touching, relishing the contact. On screen, Aaron Eckhart and Katie Holmes are on a dinner date, verbally sparring across the table. I frown, looking at her, and wonder what the fuck happened to the cute girl from Dawson's Creek. Now, she's got some wingnut of a husband jumping on couches and is trying to sing and dance, like she's got skills better than some fifth grade talent show.

Poor thing.

Before I'm able to contemplate further on the sad decline of Joey Potter, I feel Edward stiffen beside me. The finger that's been rubbing my own disappears, and suddenly he's sitting on the far end of the couch. When did that happen? I look over at him to try and figure out what the hell is going on, but I can't make eye contact since he's sitting there, rubbing his temples with his eyes closed. Confused, I look at Esme, who seems glued to the TV, so I glance in that direction. My heart skips a beat when I see what's currently happening in the movie. Alice's crush and Mrs. Tom Cruise were just eating dinner and within seconds are now fucking up against a window…  
_  
Oh. That looks interesting. I wonder if the entire neighborhood can see his ass. I wouldn't mind seeing his ass. He should turn around so I can admire it as well!_

...and a counter in the kitchen

_Eep! That's got to be dangerous. Those pots and pans are going to fall down around them any second. I wonder if Edward would ever want to...nah. That's just gross. Doing stuff where you get food ready. Ick.  
_  
…and the closet.

_Damn, Joey Potter is all grown up. She must work out like crazy to be able to hold on to the bar like that. And is he doing what I think he's doing? And..._

_Holy. Shit._

It suddenly dawns on me that Esme is watching this too. My interest in Aaron Eckhart's fantastic flexibility is completely squashed at this realization. I instinctively scoot away from Edward, completely uncomfortable to have been sex-bombed with his mother in the room. Sometimes, a surprisingly hot sex scene popping up in a movie is a welcome event. It is not, however, encouraged when you're sitting in the same room as your boyfriend's mother. Especially when she makes a noise that sounds vaguely like a satisfied sigh followed up with a "well, then."

I avoid Esme's gaze and instead focus anywhere but her, the movie or Edward. My shoelaces become incredibly interesting all of a sudden. After a few seconds, Esme pops off the couch and heads for the door.

"Dinner should be ready any minute," she says with a smile. Clearly, she's not as phased by what just happened.

The movie keeps playing, but I doubt either of us are still watching. Watching some crazy humping sex scenes with your boyfriend's mother kind of puts a damper on enjoying the rest of it, at least for me. Edward seems to agree since he's not watching the movie again either.

"That was...interesting," I say, trying to break the ice.

I realize this is also the first time I've seen something that sexy and graphic with Edward as well. Well, at least we'll both remember this first.

"Um...yeah," he replies, finally relaxing a little and moving closer to me. "You could say that."

"Do you normally enjoy watching stuff like that with your mom?" I tease. Because really, at this point I can't help it. This situation is just ridiculous.

"Oh yeah, Swan. I love it. In fact, it's a shame you weren't here for movie night the other day. We all got together, popped some popcorn, and then my dad turned on some porn. It was girl-on-girl in case you're curious."

He says all that with a straight face and then leans over, his fingers pushing up my chin that's fallen open in awe. His body starts shaking and he begins laughing, unable to stop. I grab a pillow from the couch and lob it at him.

"You jerk. This isn't funny. It's totally weird that I watch some super hot sexytimes with your mother sitting right next to us. Hell, she may as well have walked in on us doing it."

It comes out of my mouth before I even realize what I've said. Despite having done pretty much everything else except actual peen in vag sex, it's still kind of weird to talk about. I know Edward's not a virgin, and I know I want my first time to be with him. But it's not like we make a habit out of sitting around talking about this stuff. He's pretty cool about going at my pace, and so far I haven't really been ready for that. I glance over at Edward to see if he noticed the slip, and he's stock still, gaping at me.

"Bella..." he sputters. "You can't do that to me."

He shakes his head with a groan, and I think it's absolutely ridiculous that he gets all hot and bothered when I talk about sex, especially when I mention his mom in the same sentence! I jokingly punch his shoulder, like I've seen the guys do hundreds of times.

"Man up, Cullen," I tease, my voice getting all husky. "Plus...you know there are a ton of things we can do that's not...that."

I figure if I can't even feel comfortable saying the actual word, we shouldn't be doing it just yet. Edward doesn't focus on that part though, but rather, he chooses to focus on the first part.

"Other things, eh?" he asks with a silly waggle of his eyebrows.

"Um, yeah," I say, thinking about something Alice and I talked about recently. "There is something I sort of want to try..."

I'm not sure what the best way to go about telling your boyfriend that you want to try to sixty-nine with him, and thankfully, I'm saved from having to do so when Esme calls us up to dinner. Before I'm able to stand up and leave, Edward places his hand on my arm.

"Don't think you're getting away so easily. I want to know what's on your mind."

With a wink and a quick kiss, Edward hops off the couch and runs upstairs, drawn by the awesome smells coming from the kitchen. I decide to have a little fun with him and muster up some courage. When I pass by him to head to the bathroom, I stand up on my toes and whisper in his ear.

"It's nothing special. Just a number."

Edward looks at me all confused. And I can't help but giggle as I reach up again to tell him.

"Sixty-nine."

I leave him there, his eyes wide and his mouth totally gaping, and go wash my hands. When I return to the table, Esme has already set it and insists everything is done. Edward's sitting at the table and gives me a curious look. I think he might be trying to convince himself that I actually just said that. I just look at him with a huge smile and give him a slight nod. The grin he gives me in return is so wide it looks like it's going to split his face.

"Excited for dinner, honey?" Esme asks, taking in Edward's happy expression.

I stifle a laugh, while Edward just nods and stumbles over his words.

"Oh, yeah. Totally. Wait. What are we having again?"

I can't help but laugh at that, and Esme joins in, oblivious to the joke.

"Your favorite, dear. Smoked sausage, peppers and onion with a side of buttery noodles. Edward really loves his sausage," she says with a wink before turning to me. "What about you, Bella? Do you like sausage?"

My cheeks flame up, and I wonder if Esme has any idea what she's just said. Edward looks incredibly smug behind her, and I can tell he thinks this is hysterical.

"Yeah, Bella. Do you like sausage?" he asks, repeating Esme's question.

"I...I..." I stammer, trying my best not to burst into giggles or pass out. Instead, I apparently decide to vomit words all over the place. "Sure. Yeah. I do. I enjoy a good sausage now and then. Smoked sausage is delicious. I love that burst of skin when you bite into it. All spicy and whatnot."

"Hmm...yes," Esme agrees. "I like them spicy also."

I bite my lip to stop myself from giggling and thank the fucking heavens when Esme finally heads back into the kitchen to bring out the food. Edward bursts into laughter, and I glare at him, not the least bit amused.

"Glad to know you like a good smoked sausage, Bella," he says. "I happen to know exactly where you can find one."

Before he's able to tease me anymore, Esme is back with a large platter of sausage, peppers and onions. It smells phenomenal, and soon I have a ton of it piled high on my plate next to some delicious looking noodles.

"I'm sorry that Carlisle isn't here to enjoy this meal with us. He had to stay a bit late at work, but he assured me he'd grab a sandwich. He's hopeful that he'll be here in time for dessert, though. I made his favorite," Esme prattles on while we eat.

"What's for dessert?" Edward manages to get out in between huge bite fulls of dinner. How he can possibly think of more food while I'm pretty stuffed is beyond me.

"I made pie. You know how your father loves his pie. He can't help but dig in to it," Esme answers as she sighs.

"I love pie too," Edward says with a smirk, although when Esme looks over to him he's the picture of innocence. "I really love silky pies. Bella's pie is absolutely mouth watering ."

"Oh, you bake, dear?" asks Esme and I choke on my sausage.

Edward jumps up and thumps me on the back to help dislodge the piece of meat caught in my windpipe. After a few tries, I finally spit it out, grabbing my water to help soothe my throat. I wave off Esme's concerned looks and glare at Edward, who has the decency to look somewhat sheepish as he sits back down. Thankfully, after my little sausage display, the subject of my pie isn't brought up again for the rest of the meal. We eat in mostly silence, with Esme asking a few questions about school. She brings up Yale, and despite it still being a touchy subject, I let her know how proud I am of Edward. Edward takes the praise well but still looks a bit uncomfortable whenever Yale is mentioned in my presence. He hasn't made a decision yet, and I'm not quite sure what he's waiting for.

All talk of Yale is stopped, though, when Carlisle finally makes it home. By then we've all finished our dinner, but he picks at the few remaining pieces of sausage while I help Esme clean up everything else. I toy with the idea of going home so I can actually get some homework done when Edward stops me just as I'm heading into the bathroom.

"Staying for dessert?" he asks, and I shrug.

My hand stills on the knob to the bathroom door when Edward comes up behind me, his warm breath tickling my neck.

"You know how I love my pie," he whispers huskily. "Well...your pie."

I know he's trying to sound sexy and seductive, but it just sounds silly and I can't help laughing. I turn around to see him pouting, and I can't help but laugh some more. Reaching over, I playfully nip at his protruding bottom lip, causing Edward to curl his fingers around my hips, pulling me towards him.

"Edward!" I squeak, trying to pull away. "Your parents are in the kitchen!"

There is no way that I want either of his parents to walk in on us, especially after the movie fiasco with Esme. I've already had enough embarrassment for one day. Edward doesn't seem to care as his fingers trail up my sides, cupping my boobs. I can't help the groan that comes from deep in my belly when his thumbs brush over my now firm nipples.

"Edward..." I try and shout, but it comes out more of a breathy sigh because his lips are trailing kisses down my neck. "We...need...to...stop..."

"No we don't," he says, and continues his assault on my neck.

"Your...parents..." I manage to squeak out despite his fingers now moving underneath my shirt and into my bra.

"Are gone," he says as his mouth descends to lick my collarbone.

My head feels light, and I'm beginning to feel a bit unsteady on my feet, so my hands thread themselves into Edward's hair to stabilize myself. Edward helps by pushing me up against the wall. Within seconds my shirt is pushed up over my boobs and my bra is pulled down as Edward begins licking and sucking and... _OH!_ ... biting my nipples.

"They're... gone?" I manage to get out between sighs.

"Mmhmm..." he hums while his mouth is still on me and it sends shivers throughout my entire body. "My dad needed ice cream for his pie, so they both went to the store. Knowing my dad and in inability to decide his favorite flavor, they'll be there for at least a half an hour."

"Oh..." I respond, thinking of all the things we can do in a half an hour.

Edward is one step ahead of me as he takes my hand and pulls me to his bedroom. I know I look ridiculous with my shirt still hiked to my armpits and my bra shoved down, but Edward doesn't care at all as he guides me to his bed. I flop down and stare up at him, loving how his normally chill demeanor is all flushed and frazzled at the moment. He also looks a bit apprehensive.

"Were you..." he starts and then stops, before he finally spits it out. "Were you serious before? About the, um...sixty-nine thing?"

Despite my earlier bravado, my cheeks heat up hearing him say it, and I just nod, unsure what will come spewing out of my mouth if I speak. Edward grins at my response, but then his hand comes up, and he runs it through his already messy hair.

"Well, see...the thing is..." he sputters, and I'm curious as to what's making him so nervous. "I, uh...I've never done it before."

My eyes grow wide as I take this information in. Edward has never done this with anyone before, and this sends sparks of giddy delight throughout my entire body. I look up at him, and I can tell he still seems kind of uneasy about this revelation.

"I've never done it before either," I confess. Although really, no big surprise there.

But, Edward seems calmed by my words and flops down on the bed next to me. This entire conversation took place while my boobs have been hanging out, and he just seems to remember this, and returns his attention to them. Hovering over me, Edward sweeps his hands up and down my body, but his touch is almost too light, and I immediately crave more. He helps me out of my shirt and bra, and then his hands are back on me. His kisses move from my lips to my neck to my boobs to my stomach, until he's lingering right above my jeans. I give a shy nod, and he unzips them and pulls them off all in one motion.

Before he goes any further, he pulls his own pants off, and I sit up slightly to tug his boxers off as well. Edward shimmies out of them, kicking them across the room and then hops back up on the bed. Instead of kneeling between my legs like he usually does, he kneels off to the side and then bends down, placing teasing kisses up and down my thighs. With his hands, he spreads my legs apart. I begin squirming as I feel his hot breath through my undies as his face moves down over me, and I buck my hips up instinctively. Hooking his fingers in the waistband, Edward pulls down my undies, leaving me bare for him. Before continuing, he changes up his position and straddles me with his back to me.

He's crouching above my stomach, and when he leans forward to kiss my inner thigh, his ass ends up in my face. He shifts around a bit more, and when his tongue finally makes contact with my slit, I end up getting a face full of peen. It literally hits me in the face, and with his thighs and knees around my head I'm completely engulfed in his scent. It's warm and musky here, but it all smells like Edward and I like it. Then, his balls hit my forehead.

I try to move my head around, but I'm almost pinned in this position. Making the best of it, I start to try and give Edward a blowjob, but it's not really working. I can lick his peen, and he really seems into that, but when I put my lips around it to suck him he ends up slamming right down my throat way too fast, and I gag. This position isn't nice at all. Well, I mean, it's nice for me, and despite giving a half-assed blowjob, I'm still on the receiving line of something pretty damn twingly. Edward went from kissing to licking, and it's feeling really good. However, when he feels that I've stopped his head pops up, and he cranes his neck to look at me.

"Sorry," I say, feeling bad that I've been slacking on my end.

"That's okay," he replies. "What's the matter?"

"Um...it's not...working?" I mutter, trying to explain what's wrong. "I, just...it's hard to, um, do it well like this."

Edward pauses for a second before responding, and instead of saying anything, he turns toward me and then flops down on the bed, hauling me up on top of him.

"Let's try it like this then," he says with a grin, and his enthusiasm is infectious as I smile as well.

I turn around and find myself faced with Edward's peen, only this way it seems way more manageable, like a regular blow job. Plus, there are no balls smacking me in the head. Bonus. I wrap my hand around it and pump up and down a few times before covering him with my mouth. He tastes slightly salty because of the bit of jizz that's already leaked out. I lick that up and Edward moans, the vibration literally running through me as his lips are on me down there. I thrust back into him and his hands come up to grab at my waist, holding me still as his tongue flicks in and out of me.

Soon I'm a writhing, moaning mess, and I'm sure that the blowjob I'm giving him isn't my best ever, but it's totally his fault. I keep getting distracted with each new thing he does. One one of his hands trails down, and his fingers find their way inside of me, I can't help but still around him, unable to think as his fingers pump in and out, over and over. When his teeth nip at a particularly sensitive spot, I cry out, loving how much of him I can feel at the moment. The twingles take over and a warm burst explodes in my belly shooting out through my fingers and toes...which actually curl.

I'm breathing heavily and panting to catch my breath, while Edward continues to slowly lick at me as I come down from this high, sending all my nerves ablaze. Once I regroup a little, I do my best to focus on him. I take him back into my mouth, and while my hand twists and pumps at his base, I lick slowly up and down before plunging my lips over him rapidly, the way I know he likes. His hands go back to my waist and he grips tightly, so I know he's getting close. I try to take him as deep down as I can and feel him harden even more in my mouth. Edward calls out and soon he's spurting down my throat all hot and salty. It's definitely not tasty, so I swallow as fast as I can before rolling off him.

I grab my shirt and bra, but before I can put them on, Edward grabs me and pulls me up in a hug. He presses a few kisses to my face before landing one on my lips.

"That was kind of awesome," he says, sounding all spaced out.

"Yeah, it was," I giggle. "But, um...let's get dressed. Your parents will be back in any minute."

Edward jumps off the bed, as if just remembering this fact and scrambles to get dressed, while I do the same. I pop into the bathroom to freshen up and make sure it doesn't look like I just sucked off my boyfriend while getting fingerbanged and licked at the same time. When I come out, I hear voices, and my stomach does a little flip flop of nerves. I dart back into the bathroom and give myself a quick once over. It doesn't look like any funny business just went down, but I can't be sure. I sniff myself to see if I smell like sex, and I'm unsure, because everything kind of smells like Edward at the moment. I pump a few handfuls of some potpourri smelling lotion on my hands and rub it all over myself just in case.

When I come out, Edward's standing in the kitchen with his parents, a big slice of pie on his plate. He looks up at me with a grin and then shoves a big forkful of the pastry into his mouth.

"How is it dear?" Esme asks as she cuts another piece and plates it.

"Delicious," says Edward, but he looks at me the entire time, and I have a feeling he's not talking about the same pie.

I do my best not to trip over my own two feet as I walk up and accept a plate of pie from Esme. I go stand next to Edward and enjoy dessert. Finally, after we've finished eating, I gather up all my stuff, thanking Esme for dinner and call out a goodbye to Carlise. Edward walks me to my car and before I get in, he gives me one last, delicious kiss. He tastes sweet, salty and a little bit like me all at once. I smile against his lips.

"Good night," I whisper.

"Good night, baby," he says with a wink, and I watch as he saunters back into his house, a little swagger in his step.

* * *

**A/N:**

*swoon*

Oh! Before I forget - I'm co-hosting the Plot Bunny Contest with Il-bel-mondo and SorceressCirce and today is the last day to request your plot bunny - link in my profile or check us out at www(DOT)plotbunnycontest(DOT)blogspot(DOT)com

**Hood forecast:** This coming week I'll be putting out a superduperspecial outtake of this fic in The Director's Cut - so keep your eyes peeled for that. The next chapter of The Hood will post the following week!


	20. Burton & Raisinettes

**A/N: ***Waves hi to everyone*

A huge thanks to Char for beta-ing this chap and helping me turn it into something that wasn't super lame. Big ups to my prereaders, Gin & Caren, who I have decided to rename the Wonderh00r Twins. I think they know why...

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high.

* * *

**Movie marathon tmrw? Eastside Theater is playing Burton all day. -E**.

A smile spreads across my face as I read Edward's text. We haven't been on a proper date in a while, and being holed up in a dark movie theater for most of the day actually sounds pretty wonderful.

**Sounds fab. Pick me up? - B.**

I figured we'd just spend another Saturday at the Hood, so this comes as a nice surprise. I wonder which Tim Burton movies they're showing, and I can't wait to find out. It really doesn't matter, however, since any of them will do. As long as I get to watch them with Edward. Only seconds after I send him my response, he texts me back.

**Will do. Be ready by 11. Sweet dreams, babe. - E.  
**

I'm not going to lie. I might swoon just a bit when he calls me babe. Perhaps it's stupid and silly, but it makes me feel kind of special. I shoot off another text, wishing him a good night, and then turn my phone off as I settle into bed.

The next morning I'm up early, so I decide to make pancakes for breakfast, much to Charlie's surprise. He looks at me strangely as I flit around the kitchen, piling his plate high with steamy, fluffy cakes and then head back to the stove to make more. I let him know that I'll be at the movies all day, and he gives me a grunting nod in response. He tells me that he'll probably spend most of the day out at the rez with his buddies since there's a game on and all, so it's not like either of us will be missing quality father-daughter time. After I eat and clean up, I rush up to my room and stare at my closet, trying to figure out what to wear.

Normally, I'd call Alice and have her help me out, but she's away all weekend at some retreat with her parents. No amount of pouting worked, and she has to tough it out for forty-eight hours of being Jasper-free. I'm actually kind of glad that I won't have to deal with a mopey Jasper today on my day-long date. On the whim that Alice might be near her cell, I text her, but after five minutes of no response, I figure she's busy, or else she'd have replied instantly. Instead, I tear through my closet, praying that the perfect outfit will just jump out at me. Twenty minutes later, I give up, opting for a pair of worn jeans and a sweater, because it seems as if movie theaters are always chilly, even in the winter.

I then start to ransack my room, looking for my favorite tote bag, a necessity for any movie trip. After ensuring it isn't in my closet, I start looking under my bed, thinking I may have shoved it there after the last trip to the movies. After a few dust bunnies and an old t-shirt, I spy something colorful that could be it, except it's really dark under my bed, so I can't really tell. I blindly stick my hand in, hoping for the best, but end up pulling back some old college brochures. I look at them, my excitement over my pending date dwindling slightly.

Taking a deep breath, I start to flip through this brochure, which happens to be for Smith College. I remember when I filled out the application. I really love the college's academic program, and my grades are good enough to get in, but it's really freaking expensive, so I debated whether or not to apply. After a few well-placed lesbian jokes on Edward's behalf, due to the fact that it's an all-girls' school, he told me to just go for it. He said he could see how excited I was as I talked about the various programs they had to offer, especially the kick ass Social Work program. At the time, I decided to apply to appease him and because it would feel good to at least get in, even if I couldn't actually attend.

Looking down at the brochure in my hands, I shake my head, not wanting to think about anything college related at the moment. I'm glad I have a day filled with movies and Edward to distract me. I toss the Smith info back under my bed and continue the search for my bag, finally finding it under a pile of clothes on my desk chair. I grab the bag and head downstairs to shove a few things in it. I finish up just as the doorbell rings, and I dash over to answer it, giddy with excitement. Edward's standing on the other side of the door, looking incredibly fuckhot. His hair is a terrific mess, but he's wearing this old, beat up leather jacket that just looks amazing on him. When I pull him in for a hug, I get a whiff of cigarette smoke, mint and leather, all swirling together around him. Delicious.

"Your dad home?" he asks after giving me a quick kiss.

Edward looks around warily before I put him out of his misery.

"Nah, he left a few minutes ago. He's gone all day..." I trail off, wondering if maybe I can convince him to ditch the movie plans and stay here instead. Then I remember that I'm actually really excited for our date day, and go to grab my coat and bag. Before I can walk out the door, however, Edward stops me.

"Since he's gone, do you think it would be cool if we grabbed a quick smoke first? The drive to the theater is too short for a clambake in the car, so I thought we could puff in your backyard or something?" he asks, while batting his eyes sweetly.

I roll my own eyes, but let him know it's fine. I toss my coat on and lead him through the house to the backyard. I take him past our patio and further into the back, almost near the woods. This far out, we're not near any neighbors, so I don't need to worry about anybody telling Charlie they saw smoke coming from his backyard...that's all I'd need. There are a few stumps that are leftover from when Charlie cleared out a bit of the brush, so we sit down on them, and Edward sparks a joint he brought.

"I mean, I figured that you can't watch Tim Burton without being a little high, you know?" he asks before inhaling deeply.

As Edward holds the smoke in his lungs, his eyes water slightly, and he passes the joint my way. I take a smaller inhale and nod, agreeing with him. We both end up exhaling at the same time, and I'm impressed with his lung capacity.

"You have to figure he was on something when he made _Alice in Wonderland_," I point out and Edward grins.

"Yeah, that movie was totally trippy. Oh, but I don't think they're showing that today. Apparently it's just some of his earlier classics," he explains with a shrug.

I watch as Edward takes another hit, and this time I marvel as he blows perfectly formed smoke rings out on his exhale. When it's my turn, I try to do the same but end up choking on the smoke, and it takes me almost five minutes before I can breathe normally again. Edward rubs soothing circles on my back until I'm all better.

"Thanks," I say, slightly embarrassed.

I wave off one last hit, since my head is already swimming, and despite having had a hacking cough attack only minutes before, I can't help but grin lazily at Edward, who takes one more hit before snuffing out the joint and placing it in his pack of cigs. We decide to share a cigarette before heading over to the movie theater, and I can't help but flick my tongue out when Edward takes it upon himself to place the lit cig between my lips. He leaves his fingers by my mouth, lightly touching my bottom lip as I inhale, before he plucks the cig from me, bringing it to his own mouth.

Somehow, smoking the cig seems to intensify my own high, and I'm soon left a happy, hazy mess, without much incentive to move. Edward has threaded his hand through mine, and I'm in no hurry to get up from my spot right now. So, when he finally stands up, tugging me with him, I let out a groan.

"I don't wanna leave," I whine, and then giggle at how annoying I sound. Edward just laughs at me and pulls me behind him back to his car.

It's not a far drive to the theater, and we end up holding hands the entire way, which makes me happy. It also makes my fingers happy since the tips of them are all chilly and tingly from the weed. When we get there, instead of walking up to the ticket booth, Edward makes his way to some big, ATM type thing and sticks his credit card in.

"I ordered tickets online," he explains, and I beam, excited that he thought ahead. This spontaneous date is turning out to be absolutely perfect.

Then, I notice that once it starts printing out tickets, it doesn't stop spitting them out.

"How many did you get?" I ask, wondering if maybe the machine is broken.

"Oh, well two for us and then three more for the guys..." he says just as Jasper pops up behind up, jumping on Edward's back.

_Jasper?_

Fuck my life. I thought Edward was taking me on a romantic all-day movie date, when in fact, the entire gang is here. Soon, we're surrounded by Aro and Marcus as well, and the guys are all horsing around. I try and focus on the positives, like the fact that we'll be watching kick ass movies and that I'll be in a dark space with Edward for eight hours. But at this point, watching Edward give Marcus a noogie, I'm having a hard time focusing on those things. Edward senses that I'm a little miffed and comes over to me, grasping my hand. He leans over and runs his nose up my neck before whispering in my ear.

"You'll sit next to me, right? I was hoping we can share some popcorn."

He places a kiss right below my earlobe and then bats his beautiful eyelashes at me. How the hell can I stay annoyed at that? My foul mood pushed to the side for the time being, I follow the crowd of boys to the concession stand as they hem and haw to try and figure out what they want.

"What about you, babe?" Edward asks. "What can I get you?"

"Oh," I answer, patting my tote bag. "I'm all set."

Edward quirks an eyebrow at me in question and I discreetly open my bag so he can see inside.

"What the hell, Bella?" he asks with a laugh. "Did you bring your entire pantry with you?"

I quickly close my bag, my eyes darting around to make sure that nobody who works here heard his loud voice.

"Shush!" I admonish. "I don't want to get kicked out."

"Dude, you're like my grandma," Edward continues, his voice still a bit above normal level. His laughter and loudness draws the attention of the other boys.

"Your grandma does who in the what now?" Aro asks with a smirk and flinches as Edward punches him in the shoulder.

"Shut the fuck up, man. Don't talk about my nana like that," Edward scowls, and I'm glad for the distraction. Maybe he'll forget all about my tote bag full of treats.

No such luck.

"You guys should see the stash Bella has in her purse!" he exclaims.

I clutch my bag to my chest protectively and swat away the various hands that dart out to try and pry it open. Finally, after it's clear that they won't give up, I relent, hoping to draw less attention to us.

"Ring Dings!" shouts Marcus as he attempts to grab one. "Score!"

"Gummi Bears..." drools Jasper in a Homer Simpson-like voice.

Finally, I tear my bag back and stalk away, sitting on a bench near the arcade. Have they really never brought their own snacks to the movies? It's not an absurd concept. They charge an arm and a leg for a teeny box of candy, and I'm already paying like ten bucks for the ticket, so...

No harm, no foul, right? Except, just a butt load of teasing from my boyfriend while his friends pat in the corner like I have freaking Happy Meals in here or something. Edward finally comes over, a large box of popcorn and a huge thing of soda in his other hand.

"Sorry, Bella. I just wasn't expecting that. I mean, you have to admit It's kind of grandma-like."

When I don't answer him, and instead fix him with a cold stare, he quickly backpedals.

"It's cool though. I love how prepared you are. Like a girl scout or some shit. And, don't worry. I'll keep the wolves at bay," he says, nodding at the guys who are looking at my bag of treats like it's manna from heaven.

"Uh huh. Whatever. You think it's lame, but just wait until I'm enjoying a sandwich during movie number two and you're out of money," I say, trying to look tough.

Of course, it doesn't last long, and Edward's lips on mine make me forget I was even upset in the first place. I grab my bag of popcorn that Edward's bought for me, and we all head into the theater and find an entire row to ourselves near the back. It's almost movie time but the place seems sort of empty, which is good since the boys decide to make themselves at home. Marcus props his feet up on the seat in front of him while Aro sits cross legged, demanding a buffer seat on either side of him so his knees don't touch anyone else. Jasper decides to grab an entire row to himself and sits behind us, while Edward and I cozy up next to each other as much as we can despite the hard, plastic armrest between us.

"So, you never actually told me. What Tim Burton movies are we going to see?" I ask.

Edward pulls out a flier from his pocket and reads off from it.

"First up is _Edward Scissorhands_, followed by _Beetlejuice_ and then we end with _Pee Wee's Big Adventure_," he says, giving a high five to Aro.

"Aro has a thing for Pee Wee," Edward explains with a laugh. "Not like, a weird, creepy thing. But more like he has just watched every episode of the TV show and just thinks Paul Ruebens is a rare comic genius."

As if on cue, Aro bursts out into the_ Pee Wee's Playhouse _theme song, and when he does a high pitched voice, I can't contain myself any longer and laugh so hard, I think I might have to pee.

"Bathroom!" I shout, standing up and rushing out the aisle.

Thankfully, there's no line, so I'm able to do my business and then come back just in time to watch the boys shout answers to the movie trivia questions being shown on the screen.

"_Dances With Wolves!_" calls out Marcus just as Jasper cries out the same movie title. "I got it first!"

"No way, jerkface!" retorts Jasper, and the two end up getting into a wrestling match on the theater floor.

"Ew, gross," I say with a shudder as I see Jasper pluck some crushed popcorn pieces from his hair. "You guys are nasty."

I settle back into my seat and melt into Edward's side when he throws his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer. I don't even care that the stupid arm rest is digging painfully into my ribs. The boys continue answering the trivia questions while I pull out the box of Raisinettes I brought with me. Opening it up, I begin to pour it into the bag of popcorn, loving how it still feels warm. Edward has shifted to get a better look at what I'm dong and quirks his eyebrow as I cover the top of the bag with my hand and shake it up and down to distribute the chocolatey raisins equally.

"Why would you ruin perfectly good popcorn like that?" he asks, seemingly bewildered.

"Um, if by ruin you mean I just made it into the best tasting movie snack ever? Then yeah, I ruined it," I answer. "Salty and sweet, Edward. Trust me. Remember the awesomeness that was Frosty and fries? This might be even better."

Edward nods as he recalls the time I introduced him to that stellar combination, and he ends up taking a huge handful of the popcorn/Raisinette mix. Chewing it thoughtfully, he swallows and then goes back for another big handful.

"This is fucking tasty," he exclaims, and I snort, because I already knew that.

Jasper pops his head over the aisle and looks down at what we're eating. Without even asking permission, his hand digs in and soon all the boys are eating my special popcorn. Thankfully, the lights begin to dim and the previews begin, causing them to sit back in their seats, away from my snack.

The first movie up is Edward Scissorhands, and I'm immediately absorbed. It is one of my favorite movies ever, and there's something sweet, yet sad about this fantastically told tale. I know I'm not the only one sniffling at the end as the snow falls out on the neighborhood, and I peer over just in time to see Marcus swiping at his face. I clutch onto _my_ Edward harder and don't let up until the credits stop rolling and the house lights come on.

When the lights turn back on, I blink a few times to readjust my vision and then stand up and stretch. My back crackles and pops after having sat still for two hours. We have about ten minutes in between movies, so everyone rushes out to use the bathroom or get more food. We settle back in just as the theme from _Beetlejuice_ starts playing. I shift around to try and get cozy when Edward leans down to whisper in my ear.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to have any lunch in that bag of treats of yours, would you?"

I snicker and roll my eyes at him, despite it being too dark for him to even see.

"Oh, really..." I tease. "Now you're all about my bag of food. Hmph."

Even without seeing, I know Edward has a fake pout on his lips, and I let him stew a bit more before taking out a couple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I unwrap one and hand it to him, much to his delight.

"Thank you baby," he whispers, leaning over to lightly kiss my cheek. "You're the best."

"I know."

We eat our sandwiches while we watch the movie, the smell of peanut butter filtering through the air. I always glop on too much of the stuff when making sandwiches, and so by the time I finish, my fingers are coated in the sticky, peanutty stuff. Before I'm able to find a napkin to wipe them off, Edward searches for my hand, wanting to hold it.

"I'm all messy from the sandwich," I warn him, but he doesn't seem to care.

He gently holds my hand by the wrist and lifts it up towards his face. His eyes never leave the screen, however, as he takes one finger after another and places it in his mouth, carefully and deliberately cleaning them off. I stifle a groan, but it gets harder and harder. Edward takes one finger and places his lips around it, sucking up and down. His tongue flicks out, and I can feel as it roughly moves up one side of my finger and down the other, getting every last bit of peanut butter, until I'm certain that I have the cleanest finger in the entire movie theater. He finishes up by slowly moving his mouth up and down my finger one more time and kissing the tip before repeating this again on the next finger.

By the time my hand is clean, I'm a quivering mess and am not even paying attention to the movie. My hand, now completely clean, moves to rest on Edward's thigh, which I squeeze firmly. He keeps watching the movie like nothing is even happening, but his own hand comes down to rest on mine. He puts some light pressure on mine, and together we rub and massage his thigh, slowly moving our hands upwards. Even though we aren't doing anything really naughty, it feels like we're completely crossing some line, but I don't even care.

I continue to massage his upper thigh, allowing my thumb to slowly stretch out and brush up against the hard lump in his jeans. If Edward can tease, I can give just as good. I don't do much more besides the occasional brush up against his crotch for the rest of the movie. When _Beetlejuice_ is finally over, we wait till the rest of the guys leave to go pee, and then Edward pulls me onto his lap and kisses the shit out of me. His lips are hard against mine, almost bruising, but I meet him kiss for kiss, my tongue finding his, needing to feel more of him desperately.

His hands wrap around and grab my ass, pulling me closer to him, and I rub up against his peen, which feels like it's hard as a rock. My jeans dig into me a little as I grind into Edward, but it actually feels good and soon we're both riding each other, our kiss swallowing up any groans and moans that slip out of our mouths. I buck into Edward harder, needing more friction, and I'm so close when all of a sudden salt gets in my eyes as popcorn showers down upon us.

"What the fuck?" growls Edward as he pulls away from me, shaking popcorn out of his hair.

We look up to see Jasper standing there with a smirk as he shrugs his shoulders. Edward gives him a death stare and helps me off him before jumping the row of seats, running after Jasper. I follow them, partially amused by what's happening and somewhat frustrated that Jasper and his popcorn effectively cockblocked the onset of some really happy twingles. They make it all the way out of the movie theater, and are circling each other in the parking lot. They both look a bit dorky, however, and finally after a few well placed punches and noogies, declare a truce, and we all make our way to the side wall of the theater for a smoking break.

Aro doesn't smoke cigs and is already nervous that he might miss some of his favorite movie, so he and Marcus head back inside, while Jasper, Edward and I all have a quick cig break. Both boys are flushed and panting hard after their tussle, and I roll my eyes, a little peeved that I'm not the one flushed and panting...but for other reasons.

"So...what the fuck was up with the popcorn, man?" Edward asks Jasper with a shake of his head. "Not cool at all."

Jasper has the decency to look a bit chagrined as he takes a long inhale and closes his eyes, resting his head against the brick wall behind him. He exhales slowly before speaking.

"Sorry, bro. And sorry, Bella," he adds, shooting me a sheepish smile. "Total shit move on my part. It's not my fault though."

Edward snorts, and both of us look at Jasper in disbelief. He ashes his cig on the ground next to him, then holds up his hands in front of him, gesturing for us to hear him out.

"I've got the worst fucking case of blue balls, man," he explains with a grimace, and I immediately scrunch my nose in disgust.

"Ew! I so don't need to hear that, Jas," I say with a shudder.

Edward just laughs and slaps Jasper on the back, giving him a knowing look.  
_  
Boys._

"I mean, Alice is gone for a whole weekend, and I guess I'm just spoiled, but I so do not want to resort to going back to Rosey Palm and her five sisters, if you know what I mean," he says, waggling his eyebrows.

I roll my eyes at him, while Edward actually looks sympathetic. I'm not even going to touch Jasper's problem with a ten foot pole, and instead, I ask if anybody wants another cig. The boys both do, and so while we have one more, I decide to ignore them, since they've now moved on from blue balls to video games - neither topics I really want to discuss. I end up texting Alice, letting her know that her weekend away is causing her boyfriend to act like a total moron. She actually responds this time, apologizing on his behalf and promises to make it up to both him and me soon. A girls' night with Alice sounds perfect, but I don't even want to think about how she'll be making it up to Jasper.

After a few more texts back and forth, I notice the time and suggest to the guys that we make our way back to the movie theater, not wanting to incur the wrath of Pee Wee's biggest fan, aka, Aro. We stub out our cigs and head back inside, Jasper leading the way. I grab Edward's hand and pull him close.

"This is the most ridiculous movie date ever," I tell him.

"Yeah," he says in agreement as he looks at me with a weird mixture of pride and love. "But I'm having fun."

"So am I," I say as we walk into the theater, Pee Wee already up on the screen. "So am I."

* * *

**A/N:**

What's your fav movie snack? I really am a sucker for hot movie popcorn and Raisinettes. nom nom nom.

And...Bella's bag o'snacks? I totally do that. I have even gone as far as bringing in full on lunches. Raise your hand if you do it too. I know you do ;)

Next update should be in your box next Friday - see you then! Until then...the contest I'm co-hosting is now in the voting phase. Please head on over to **http:/www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/~plotbunnycontest** to read the fabulous entries and vote for your favs!


	21. Spielberg & Waffles

**A/N:** You are all such snack sneakers - I love it! It's nice to know I'm not alone in my defilement of theater rules. Oh, so a few of you have asked how long this fic will be. Truth? I am not so sure. But...I'm thinking that we have about another 5-7 chaps after this one...

Thanks and spanks to Char for betaing, and bewbgropes to my own little wonderh00r twins, Caren & Gin, for prereading.

I'd be totally remiss if I didn't bow down and grovel at the feet of PerfectlyPersuasive who was super instrumental in picking the movies these kids watched last chap. So, if you were one of the few who *didn't* like them - blame her ;) And, speaking of PP - I just posted a new "fic" - which is really just a compilation of the crazy shiz the two of us whip up together. Fair warning (promise?): It's mostly slash.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own these characters. I just enjoy getting them high.

* * *

It's already close to midnight, and we have school tomorrow. Yet, instead of catching up on sleep, I've been on the phone with Edward for the past hour, talking about a trip to New Haven he's organizing with his parents to go check out Yale. It happens to coincide with our March break, and he's hoping I can come along. I roll my eyes at Edward's insane suggestion that we talk to Charlie together.

"Okay, okay," I relent, much to Edward's joy. "I'll ask him. But I can't promise he'll say yes. And no, I don't think it would help if you're here when I do it."

As soon as Edward hears me agree to ask Charlie about the trip, he starts going on and on about all the fun things he has planned. I pull the phone away from my ear and flop back against my pillow.

I love that he wants me to come with him, don't get me wrong. But I am filled with anxiety about asking Charlie to let me go. Something tells me this is not going to be an easy sell.  
_  
Oh, sure, honey. Go ahead and fly across the country with your boyfriend. _

Yeah, for some reason I can't see Charlie just agreeing like that. Maybe I'd have more success if I work in an angle about looking at schools myself while on the East coast, although I don't know how practical that would actually be. And, on top of all this, I need to figure out a way to get him to let me go to the big bonfire this weekend. I could just say I'm staying at Alice's house, but I've used that excuse a bit too much lately...

"Bella? Bella!"

Edward shouting over the phone jars me from my thoughts.

"Sorry about that. I was just thinking about how to tell Charlie, so he'll let me go," I explain.

"Oh, cool. No worries. So...what about this weekend? It's only supposed to be in the forties at night. Perfect for camping."

I snort, which makes Edward laugh. But really, there is no way I'm camping in forty degree weather.

"I'll keep you warm," says Edward, his voice getting all husky.

"I'm sure you will," I reply and then drift off a bit, daydreaming about all the ways he's able to make me hot.

"You'll be fine," he promises. "Just wear a bunch of layers and bring some wool socks. I'll make sure to have my super kickass down sleeping bag, as well as some extra blankets. This is the biggest party of the year. We can't miss it!"

He sounds so excited, and while I know it will be one hell of a rager, I end up yawning, my need for sleep creeping up on me.

"You're tired, baby. Go to bed."

"Mmhmm..." I mumble, my eyelids slowly closing on their own accord.

"Love you," he whispers, and I feel my whole body respond to his words, despite how tired I am.

"Love you too," I mumble before finally hanging up the phone.

I fall asleep easily, despite having a lot to figure out.

I wake up early enough to get downstairs and make Charlie's favorite breakfast. The waffles are just finishing up when he comes down, and I make a big show out of plating them and serving it to him as he sits. I plunk a freshly brewed cup of coffee next to him and point out the cream and sugar, already out on the table. When I head to the fridge to grab some maple syrup and butter, I can hear Charlie mumbling something under his breath but can't quite make out what he's saying. When I approach the table again, he finally spits it out.

"What do you want, Bells?" he asks gruffly, despite his smile, as he drowns his poor waffle in syrup.

I know the cutesy innocent routine isn't going to work on Charlie, so I sit down next to him and just lay it out.

"There's this big bonfire event this weekend that happens every year at the beach that I want to go to," I begin with, and Charlie just nods slowly, remaining silent.

I do my best to avoid words like "party" and "boys" and plunge ahead with my request.

"So...Alice is going and a few people from school, and I'd really like to go. They end up camping overnight, but I'll be back in the morning, and we have all that old camping stuff in the garage anyway," I remind him.

I chew the already ragged nail on my thumb as I wait for Charlie to answer. I know I also have to ask him about the New Haven trip with Edward, but I have another month or so until that happens, so I decide not to dump it on him all at once. I end up waiting for a while as Charlie grunts while finishing up his waffle. I know better than to push him when he's mulling something over. He finally wipes up the last bits of syrup on his plate with his remaining bite, places his fork down and looks directly at me.

"Who else will be there?" he asks, and I know it's better not to lie.

"Mostly kids from school like Jasper and Edward, and Alice, like I said. There will be a lot of people."

"Will you be drinking?" he asks, and I notice he's specifically asking about me, not being naive enough to think there won't be drinking there in general. I'm still not alcohol's biggest fan, so I can truthfully shake my head at him.

"Nope, I won't. Promise."

Charlie looks at me again and then nods.

"I'll need to show you how to set up the tent," he mutters before helping himself to another waffle.

I suppress the urge to shriek, and instead give Charlie a huge hug as I whisper my thanks, before cleaning up the kitchen. I grab myself some food for lunch and then head out to school, pulling in next to Edward, who's already there. He's leaning against the trunk of his car with Jasper, and they're laughing about something. I make my way over, curling myself into Edward's side when he gives me a one-armed hug hello.

"Hey, Swan," Jasper says as he ruffles my hair.

Edward pulls me closer to him, and I'm enveloped in the scent of musky smoke and boy. I take a big inhale. _Mmm..._

Jasper says his goodbyes, heading off to the woods to sneak a cig before homeroom, leaving me and Edward alone. After getting the okay from Charlie this morning, I'm feeling a little feisty, so I poke Edward in the ribs a bit, tickling him. He squirms in my grasp, but I don't let up, and suddenly I'm pinned to the side of his car as he hovers above me.

"Don't even try it," he says with a smirk, as my fingers retreat from tickling him some more.

"But, I'm excited," I reply with an overly fake pout.

"Why? What's up?" he asks, leaning in towards me.

My hands moves up to his jacket, pulling him even closer.

"Charlie. Said. Yes." I tell him, punctuating each word with a kiss.

Edward jumps back a bit, excited by my news, and I frown at the loss of his lips on mine. "That's fucking awesome! New Haven, here we come! We need to get you a plane ticket and figure out..."

Edward starts talking a mile a minute, and now I feel like a total jerk for not being clearer. I still have no clue if I can go to New Haven, and now I have to burst his bubble.

"Babe?" I say, trying to get his attention. He's still in his own world, so I grab his face and pull him closer. "Edward."

He finally looks at me and stops talking, but the light in his eyes remains.

"I didn't ask Charlie about New Haven, yet," I say with a sigh, and his face falls almost immediately. "But! I'm totally coming to the beach this weekend. We can camp together, make s'mores, walk on the beach, share a sleeping bag..."

And whatever sadness he may have had at the New Haven trip fake out is now gone, replaced with a huge grin.

"I will even share my sleeping bag with you," he says. "As long as you don't kick in your sleep."

I roll my eyes and swat at him, but he side steps me and I almost topple. Thankfully, Edward pulls me back upright laughing, and we head into school together, hand in hand.

"But, you _will_ ask Charlie about New Haven, right?" he asks, looking for confirmation.

"Of course," I say reassuringly. "As soon as I grow a pair."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Alice comes over the morning of our beach camp out to help me pack.

"I really don't need a lot of stuff, right?" I ask, since it's just for one night.

"Sure, it's only one night, but it never hurts to be prepared," says Alice.

Her stuff is waiting downstairs since we're going to carpool. She has one regular-sized suitcase on wheels with her, which seems sort of ridiculous. I'm pretty certain I can get away with using my backpack and amaze Alice when I finally do. After loading up our bags and camping gear, I say goodbye to Charlie, who reminds me to be good. I keep a straight face as I nod my head, telling him he has absolutely nothing to worry about.

Alice and I make it to the beach around three in the afternoon. The sun is actually out, and despite the chill in the air, it's kind of beautiful. Of course, I have on a long sleeve shirt, sweater, fleece jacket and a scarf, but otherwise, I'm not too cold. Pretty much everyone else is already there when we arrive, and so we go stake out a space, and I begin to haul out the tent, intent on setting it up.

"You don't have to do that, silly," comes a panting voice from behind me.

I spin around to see a breathless, red-faced Edward standing behind me. The edges of his hairline are a bit sweaty and he's only wearing a long sleeve shirt, clearly warm from whatever activity he was up to.

"I already set ours up over there," he points out. "And Jasper got a tent all ready for him and Alice as well."

I grin and thank him. He leans over, giving me a quick, salty kiss, before jogging back out to a flat stretch of sandy beach, where he's been running around, tossing a frisbee with Aro and Marcus. I turn to find Alice and see her over near Jasper already, checking out the tent he's set up. Then, I watch as the two of them disappear inside of it. I have a feeling it might be a while until they reemerge. A few logs of wood are set up around an unlit fire pit, and I take a seat, stretching my arms up overhead for a bit.

"Hey Bella," says a voice, and I look up to see Mike standing near me.

"Oh, hey Mike," I reply. "What's up?"

Mike takes a seat next to me and stares out at a group of girls a few yards away.

"Nothing," he says with a sigh that clearly means something is up. I didn't think boys actually pulled crap like this.

"Oh, come on," I say, nudging him with my shoulder. "You can tell me."

Mike looks at me and screws up his face in this intense look of concentration.

"Lauren," is his one word answer.

I look back at the gaggle of girls and notice that Lauren Mallory is one of them. I do my best to hide the look of annoyance that wants to cloud my face. Ever since the school dance when she totally tried to snag Edward, I've always kind of hated her. She's never really been mean to me, but I just can't shake the feeling of _ick _that comes over me when I see her. Clearly, Mike sees her much differently. Without even pressing him, he begins telling me all about it.

"So, we've been on and off ever since the dance. I guess we're in an off period right now, because when I asked her if she was staying with me in my tent she just rolled her eyes and walked away. I have no idea what that means, but she hasn't bothered to talk to me at all since we got here, and I really hate the fact that she's ignoring me."

At this point, Mike is whining, and I'm cursing Alice for abandoning me to go screw her boyfriend.

"Oh, I um..." I struggle with finding a polite way to tell Mike that the chick he likes is a total bitch. "Cigarette?"

I'm stalling but would rather say nothing than lie through my teeth. Mike shakes his head no, but lighting my own cig buys me a few minutes, especially since it's almost impossible to light it with the wind blowing all over. Mike leans forward and cups his hands around the end of the cigarette, giving me some cover. It easily lights and after taking a few slow drags, I turn towards him.

"You need to have some fun tonight," I say firmly.

Mike cocks an eyebrow at me and a stupid grin spreads across his face. I slap his arm with my hand that isn't holding a cig as I laugh.

"No, you big dork. Not me. I'm off the market. But, just, you know. Have fun. Show Lauren what she's missing."

Mike turns my idea over in his head, and you can almost see the gears grinding in there. He nods slowly before getting up, offering me a hand to stand as well.

"Thanks Bella, that's not a bad idea. See you around," he says with a wave and jogs over to the keg that's set up near some rocks. He's apparently ready to get this party started.

I shake my head, hoping my advice is actually decent, before looking up and noticing Edward staring at me. His eyes are darker than normal, and it looks like he's scowling. What the hell is his problem? He looks over at the small crowd near the keg and immediately zeroes in a death glare on Mike. Is he serious? The fact that Edward even thinks Mike is competition is absolutely absurd, but the caveman look he's sporting now is kind of hot, so I'm not going to rush up and say anything at the moment. If he has a problem, he can come and tell me.

The afternoon passes quickly amidst frisbee games, digging for clams, and collecting shells. True to my word, I don't drink, but that doesn't stop anybody else. Both Jasper and Alice help themselves to the keg a few times and very mysteriously disappear only an hour after sunset. They must have a lot of catching up to do after missing a whole entire weekend together. I wonder if they can hear my eyes rolling all the way from over here. I'm just really glad their tent is far away from the one Edward set up for us.

Dinner isn't anything spectacular, just hotdogs over a raging fire that only took the boys forty minutes to start. They each had their own harebrained methods of how to start it and wouldn't listen to anyone else. After dinner, people start drinking in earnest and a few joints get sparked up, making their way around the crowd. I notice that Mike is pretty drunk at this point, but it doesn't stop him from taking a few hits as well.

I watch in amusement as he dances around the campfire, despite the fact that there's no music playing. He shimmies and shakes his way awkwardly towards me and holds his hand out. Edward, who's over at the fire roasting himself another hotdog immediately starts scowling, and I can't help but snicker. I allow Mike to pull me up and we dance, albeit not too closely, for a bit.

"You're a really great dancer, Bella," Mike slurs, stumbling over his words. The poor kid is three sheets to the wind.

"Thanks, Mike" I say. I notice that Lauren is staring us down, so I lean up to whisper in his ear. "I think Lauren's checking you out!"

Mike spins around to see, only to find Edward standing right there. Edward doesn't say anything, but instead, he grabs me and pulls me towards him.

"What the hell, Edward?" I ask as he wraps his arms around me.

"What?" he asks, trying to maintain his innocence. "I just wanted to dance with my girl."

I roll my eyes at him and shake my head.

"Uh huh. Sure you do. Are you really that threatened by Mike?" I ask in a whisper, because I don't want Mike to hear and feel bad about himself.

"No. Yes. Whatever," he grumbles, and I can't help but laugh.

That's apparently the wrong reaction, because he looks at me and furrows his eyebrows.

"Oh, stop it," I say, not wanting this misunderstanding to ruin our night. "Mike's just a friend. I was helping him try to win Lauren back or something. I have no idea. I don't even know why he's into her."

"Well, she does have nice tits," he says with a smirk, and playful Edward is back.

That doesn't mean I have to listen to this crap, so I slap his arm. He's still laughing as I stalk away and sit on a log facing the fire. Edward comes and plops himself down next to me, lighting up a joint he pulls from his pocket. He takes a big inhale before threading his hands through my hair and pulling me towards him roughly. His mouth full of smoke, he presses his lips against mine, and I instinctively open them. The harsh smoke hits me hard, burning my throat as it filters into my lungs. I expect Edward to pull away, but he doesn't. Instead, he moves his lips from mine and trails soft kisses up my cheek, brushing away some hair by my ear.

"I love you," he whispers as I breathe out the smoke in a big whoosh.

Edward stays close, his palm cupping my cheek, as his fingers brush my hair.

"I love you too, you big dork."

We sit there cuddling by the fire, and I wonder if we can just turn in and head to our tent, when out of nowhere, Jasper appears. I can't help staring because he's almost naked. Thankfully, a pair of boxers covers his bony ass, but you can hardly tell as he whips by us, running towards the water.

"I'm a penguin!" he shouts as he splashes into the icy cold water.

Alice is running behind him, fully clothed and stops just short of the waves.

"You're an idiot," she shouts at him, and I crack up laughing.

It's not so funny though, when Edward stands up and begins stripping, running after Jasper, keeping only his boxers on as well. He jumps in and the two of them begin splashing each other like it's the middle of summer and not forty degrees out.

"Our guys are insane," I say, making my way to stand next to Alice.

"They certainly are," she agrees. "Want to have some fun?"

I nod my head, curious to see what she has planned. She lets them play a little while longer before bringing her hand up to her mouth.

"Holy fuck!" she calls out and she legit looks freaked out. "Shark!"

She runs away from the shore, and I run with her, so the guys don't see me burst into giggles. Not even a second later, both Edward and Jasper are running for their lives, screaming at the top of their lungs and waving their hands in the air. They run up to the fire and start shivering. They continue to yell and scream, until finally, Alice fesses up.

"There was no shark, you losers. I mean, maybe there are a few guppies in the water but definitely no shark. Sorry, no _Jaws _for you tonight."

As their screams die down, both Jasper and Edward look at Alice like they're going to lunge, but the fact that they are pretty much frozen in place prevents them from doing anything. I run to our tent and sacrifice a blanket I find there. I toss it to them, and they huddle together. I hope the fire heats them back up, because blue lips on Edward isn't the sexiest thing I've ever seen. They finally stop shivering, and I lead Edward to our tent so he can get dressed. I give him some privacy to change and then head into the tent when he's done. His skin is still ice cold to the touch, despite being dressed in multiple layers, so we snuggle down into two sleeping bags that I managed to zip together.

"What the hell possessed you to do that?" I ask as I rub his hands to try and warm them.

I'm laying on him so I can feel him shrug as he answers.

"I dunno. It looked like Jasper was having fun. And it was fun," he adds, defending his stupidity. "But cold. Definitely cold. I'm not even sure my balls have fully descended from my body yet."

I laugh and snuggle closer into him. It starts to get chilly, so we lay there, just snuggling. Sometimes, Edward presses a few kisses onto my face, and I kiss him back. Soon, our kisses become more heated, and despite the ten layers of clothes we're both wearing, I can feel him grow hard beneath me. It's not my fault that my natural reaction is to grind into that hardness, reveling in the twingles that shoot through my body.

"Fuck, Bella..." Edward groans, pulling me so I'm completely on top of him. Both of us are still too chilly to remove any clothing, so we do the best we can, pawing and groping at each other above our clothes. I shrug the sleeping bag off me and sit up, so I'm directly on top of Edward's rock hard peen. His hands shoot up and grab my hips, helping me as I basically ride him until I'm a writhing, moaning mess. My eyes are closed and my head's thrown back as I continue to thrust against Edward, the feeling of my jeans pressing into me causing me to call out his name. I feel his hands move to to my arms, and he pulls me down so our bodies are smooshed together. Edward's lips find mine, and he kisses me roughly, his tongue plunging into my mouth. Then, his mouth is on my cheek, my chin, my neck. His breath is hot and wet against my cool neck and it sends shivers all the way down to my toes. His hips start moving up and down, and I shift slightly, which is the magic movement, because he hits me right where I need it. I spiral out of control, taking him with me.

I flop down on top of him, completely out of breath and a bit sweaty.

"Much warmer now," I mumble, pressing a kiss into the crook of his neck.

"Told you I'd keep you warm," Edward replies with a hint of smugness.

I blow a raspberry into his neck, causing him to squirm beneath me.

"Ugh," he shudders, and I roll off of him. "Sorry. I just need to uh, clean up."

"Oh," I giggle. "My bad."

I help him out by finding some travel tissues in my backpack and hand him some. He wipes himself clean and then comes back into the sleeping bag. I curl up next to him, and we stay there, just enjoying the moment. Edward's breathing steadies out, and with few more yawns, my eyelids are already starting to flutter shut.

"Bella?" Edward asks a little while after I think he's already asleep.

"Yeah?"

His voice is kind of rough, and I can tell he's tired.

"Sorry about bugging about Newton before. It was stupid."

"I know," I agree.

He pinches my side playfully but keeps talking.

"I just...I guess I'm nervous about stuff. I know it's stupid to think about it, but it would really be cool if you could come visit Yale with me."

I sigh, happy in a weird way to know he's nervous too.

"I really want to come. I'll ask Charlie. Promise."

I press a kiss to his lips and then snuggle into him some more as he wraps his arm around me. It doesn't take long until we're both fast asleep.


	22. Shyamalan & Pizza

**A/N:** So...New Haven? Do they? Don't they? *snicker* I posted a teaser on Monday over at The Fictionators, and if you checked that out you might have some clue of what's about to happen. Or not. Also, if you follow me on Twitter, I definitely spill some stuff there too.(link in my profile)

Huge thanks to my fabulous beta Char, who I might just get to hang out with tonight. Be jealous. srsly. Bewbgropes of thanks to my prereaders, the wondertwin h00rs - Caren & Gin. Gin just posted the epilogue to her fic, The Misapprehension of Bella Swan - if you're one of the three people who haven't been reading it, go check it out - it's a funny, shmexy fic w/Hockeyward & his monster cock. nom.

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high.

* * *

I stare at my phone and debate whether or not it will be better to do this over the phone or in person. My anxiety riddled stomach says phone, but my head is pushing for in person. That way, if Edward reacts poorly, at least I can be there to distract him. I pick up my phone and text him, asking him to meet me at the elementary school playground. It's a Sunday afternoon, and I know it will most likely be empty. He agrees and says he'll see me there in twenty minutes. I grab my fleece jacket and head downstairs, doing my best to avoid Charlie. After the hour long discussion we just had, I really don't need any more face time with him. Unfortunately, he notices me before I'm able to slip out the door.

"Where are you headed?" he asks, although his voice is much softer than the one he used all morning.

"Out," I answer, trying not to sound too pissed off.

But I can't seem to keep the bite out of my voice, and of course, Charlie notices.

"Bella," he sighs, and I turn around to look at him, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"What?"

"I'm not doing this to make your life difficult, you know," he says, and I know he's being sincere. It still doesn't stop the fact that I'm a bit miffed with him at the moment.

"I know," I mumble.

"Good," he says with a huff and goes to the fridge to grab himself a beer. "Be back for dinner, please. I'm ordering pizza. Extra mushrooms."

I can't help but smile, since I know he hates mushrooms but will get them anyway since they're my favorite.

"Thanks. See you later," I say with a wave.

I make it to the park before Edward, and just like I thought, the place is empty. Grey clouds litter the sky, and a cool breeze makes me shiver, so I head for the shelter of the play structure. I climb up into the part that's supposed to look like a castle's turret. Crossing my fingers that no little kids decide to show up, I light up a cigarette and wait for Edward. I'm almost done when I hear the sound of tires on gravel and an engine cutting off. I stub out the cig and stand up. When I look out, I see Edward's car, but he's nowhere to be found.

"Boo!"

I jump, startled by the noise, and whip around to see him smiling like a goof.

"Gotcha!"

"How'd you know where I was?" I ask, wrapping my arms around him.

"Smoke signals," he says with a laugh and points to my stubbed out cig. "So, what's up?"

We settle back down to the wooden floor, and I take one of his hands in mine, absently playing with his fingers.

"So, I, uh...talked to Charlie about New Haven today," I begin, and immediately Edward's eyes light up.

Then, he looks at me.

"Oh, no. Did he say you can't come? Because I can go over and talk to him if you think that might help, or I could even have my dad call him. That might work, right?"

I shake my head side to side, trying to figure out how to break it to Edward.

"No...you don't need to do that. I...uh...he said I could go..."

Before I'm able to explain the rest, Edward lets out a loud "Woot!" as he crushes me towards him.

"It's going to be so awesome, Bella..."

I need to stop him before he starts going on about all the kickass stuff he wants us to do in New Haven. I haven't told him everything. I cup his cheek with my hand and stroke the prickly stubble for a second. He keeps talking, so I clamp my hand over his lips, effectively shutting him up. He tries to talk through my hand, but I shake my head.

"Here's the thing, though..."

Edward pulls my hand off his mouth and looks at me with alarmed eyes.

"Bella, what the fuck? Just spit it out because you're freaking me out."

"Fine," I huff. "Charlie'scomingwithus."

I say it super fast but he still hears me. He scoots back from me, and his eyes are still wide, but now they look a wee bit panicked.

"Charlie's coming...with us? To New Haven?"

I can tell the idea kind of freaks him out a bit, so I do my best to distract him. I crawl up onto his lap until I'm straddling him and pull him towards me by his jacket.

"He is," I say between kisses to his jaw and neck. "But, he promises he won't hover over us and will give us some space, too."

Edward pulls away slightly and gives me a disbelieving look. I stop with the kisses but don't get off him.

"Look, it's the only way I can go. Trust me, I tried everything, but he's not budging. He has a bunch of vacation saved up, and since I'll be going to college next year, he thought a little trip together would be fun. Bonding or some shit," I explain with a shrug. "It won't be that bad. I mean, it's not like I would have been staying in your hotel room anyway. So, you'll be in yours with your dad, and I'll be with mine. Maybe we can get them to go out together or something and leave us alone."

At that, Edward and I look at each other and burst into laughter. For some reason, I just don't see our dads becoming BFFs. Edward's quiet for another minute before finally letting out a sigh and speaking.

"No, it's fine. I mean, hell, you get to come to New Haven with me!"

And just like that, it's fine. I'm still on Edward's lap, and he seems to realize that and pulls me in closer. His face is inches from mine and I can feel his hot breath fan out over my cheeks. I can tell he smoked a cig on the way over, but he still smells a little minty and its totally intoxicating. I lean closer so our lips are almost touching but not quite. Neither of us moves that last bit to close the gap between us, and the anticipation almost kills me. I can feel the crazy electricity between us, yet Edward just quirks his lips up in a smirk, as if daring me to kiss him first. I'm not going to last long, and when his tongue darts out to lick his lips, I can't help myself. Instead of moving forward, though, I grab a hold of his jacket and pull him towards me, moaning as his lips finally connect with mine.

I think I hear him mumble "not fair," but I don't really care as I concentrate on the pair of delicious lips attached to my own. His tongue flicks out at my lips, and I open wide for him, sighing as it enters my mouth. I alternate between kissing the shit out of him and nibbling on his lips. Edward's hands slide down my back and graze the sliver of skin exposed between my pants and jacket. His fingers are chilly, and I shiver when he moves them under my layers, caressing my skin. Despite the cold, it still feels phenomenal and my body begins moving all by itself. My hands clasp behind Edward's neck and I pull myself up and down his body, spurred by the groans he's making as he kisses my neck. Just as his hands reach the undersides of my boobs, we hear a car door slam and kids shouting.

Quickly breaking apart, I peer over the side of the turret and see a handful of kids pouring out of a minivan heading straight for the playground. _Damn it! _Cockblocked by kindergartners! Edward's head hangs down, and I can see him breathing heavily, trying to calm his body. I figure climbing off of him should help, so I try to roll off, but the firm grip he has on my hips prevents that.

"Just a sec," he whispers into my ear, and I melt against him, giving him all the time he wants.

Finally, he releases me, and just in time, as a bunch of kids run up and look at us all accusatory-like. I restrain the urge to flip them off and instead grab Edward's hand and head for the nearest slide. Ignoring the arched eyebrows of the weary looking mom standing by the mini van, I let Edward give me a quick kiss goodbye before driving back home.

The next couple of weeks zoom by, and before I know it, it's spring vacation. While some of the kids are opting to head to much warmer places, I excitedly pack my jeans and a few warm sweaters for our trip to Connecticut. We're actually flying into New York, and Edward and I got our dads to agree to a day trip so we can explore the city. Alice has already given me a list a mile long of all the fabulous places I have to check out while we're there. I repeatedly remind her that the majority of our three day trip will take place in Connecticut, but she refuses to pay attention, reminding me once more to make sure we have dinner at Lucky Cheng's. I'm not so sure what the big deal is about this specific Chinese restaurant, but I promise her that we'll do our best to check it out.

Esme offers to drive us to the airport so we don't have to leave our car there. Looking at the clock, I see that she'll be here in another half an hour. I shove my carry on suitcase closed and zip it up, shouting in triumph that it all fits.

"Are you ready?" I call down to Charlie, not wanting to cause us to be late.

He grunts back in the affirmative, and I shake my head, already fearing how this will all go down. I lug my suitcase out of my room and pull it behind me down the hallway. Charlie's at the top of the stairs and grabs it from me.

"Let me help you with that," he offers, and I appreciate it.

"Thanks."

We sit around eating breakfast and just as I'm cleaning up, there's a knock at the door.

It's Edward.

He looks adorable in a zip up navy blue sweater and a pair of jeans, his messy hair sticking out in every direction. The huge smile on his face is infectious, and even when I feel Charlie's presence behind me, it doesn't falter.

"Sir," Edward says in greeting.

"Edward," replies Charlie.

This is going to be a long three days.

I rush into the hallway to grab my suitcase so we can get going, but both Edward and Charlie beat me to it. They both lunge for it at the same time, their hands crashing together.

"I've got it," bites out Charlie, and I can see Edward visibly stiffen.

I roll my eyes but refrain from saying anything, just eager to finally get going. We place the suitcases into the back seat and then try to figure out seating arrangements. The Cullen's SUV is certainly spacious, but I still end up sitting right between Charlie and Edward in the backseat, feeling a bit squished in the middle. After almost three hours in the car, and we finally get to the airport with over an hour to spare before our flight leaves. After saying our goodbyes to Esme and checking in, Edward and I finally have some time to ourselves before the plane takes off. We head over to one of the magazine stands and check out what's in stock.

"Will he be like this the whole trip?" Edward asks me under his breath, even though Charlie is nowhere near by.

"Like what?" I ask, even though I sort of already know what he means.

"You know, giving me the evil death glare every ten seconds. Looking at me like he wants to keep my balls in a jar on his desk. Shit like that."

I can't help but giggle, which causes Edward to scowl. I know he's frustrated by Charlie's stiff demeanor, but I know Charlie will ease up as we get into the trip. I think he just wants to scare Edward from doing something stupid, like possibly sneaking into my hotel room at night. I slide my hand down and thread it through his, squeezing slightly.

"It will be fine, promise," I reassure him. "Plus, he already has a set of balls on his desk. If only that paperboy had listened when Charlie told him to stop throwing the paper into the garden..."

Edward snorts, shaking his head.

"Very funny Bells, very funny."

I grin, glad that I'm able to get him to relax, even for a bit. We each buy a couple magazines and return to our gate, just as preboarding begins. Somehow, we managed to get seats all together, although three are in one row, and the fourth is in the row in front of it. Carlisle slides in and takes the window seat, leaving two seats open. Edward shuffles in next to his dad, and Charlie makes to sit down next to him. I give him a pointed glare before he backs off and sits in the row in front of us, and I take my seat next to Edward. I may fiddle with the tray table for a few seconds, slamming it back shut, just to piss Charlie off. I hear him grumble to himself and shake my head. This is going to be a long flight.

It takes a while longer until we're all boarded and the plane finally takes off. We sit through the emergency information speech and only ten minutes later Carlisle is completely passed out cold next to us.

"He had a late shift yesterday, plus he hates to fly," explains Edward over the loud noise of the engine. "I'm pretty sure he slipped a Xanax or something when we weren't looking."

I pretend to gasp in mock outrage but just end up giggling instead. At least I won't feel totally weird snuggling up next to Edward, since his father will be pretty much knocked out for the entire flight. Edward must have the same idea, because he lifts up the arm rest between us, allowing me to snuggle closer.

"So..." whispers Edward into my ear. "Mile High club?"

I pinch his side and shake my head, rolling my eyes at him. Because both of us walking back to the teensy bathrooms together wouldn't alert my father to some suspicious activity. Edward just snorts and said he had to at least try. I curse the fact that Charlie is on this trip one more time before settling in for the six hour flight ahead of us. We both pull out our magazines and read a bit, and then the in-flight movie begins. I try and focus on the opening scene, but somebody in back of me has their little a/c vent on full blast and it's aimed directly at me. Edward notices and grabs the little fleece blanket they gave us when we boarded. I try not to think about how many germs and microscopic bugs are crawling around on it and layer it over me. Edward grabs a corner and pulls some onto himself. I lean on his shoulder and try to focus on the movie.

"What is this again?" I ask, trying to remember.

"_The Last Airbender._ It's based on a cartoon that's actually pretty good."

I shrug and try to focus on it, and it's okay, I guess. The guy with the ponytail and shaved sides is pretty lickable, but I'm not about to share that information with Edward. Instead, I cuddle into his side more, wrapping the blanket over my arms. Edward slings an arm over me and starts rubbing my arm softly but keeps his focus on the movie. I guess he really wants to watch it. Soon, my interest is lost, and I'm trying to think of other things to do. Poor Carlisle is completely out, snoring loudly, with his head wedged in between his seat and the wall of the plane.

I wonder what Charlie is up to, but I figure since I haven't heard a peep from him so far, he's probably fallen asleep himself. I decide to tease Edward a bit, figuring it will at least alleviate my boredom. My hand curls around his upper thigh, and I squeeze just firmly enough for him to feel it. Releasing my grasp, I allow my fingers to brush up against the crotch of his jeans, and stifle a giggle when he gasps.

"Bella," he grits out, and I just look up at him with wide eyes.

"What?" I ask innocently.

Edward tries to glare at me, but the boner he's now sporting in his jeans makes me laugh at whatever reproachful stare he gives me. Huffing, Edward turns his head to keep watching the movie while I plan my next move. Except...I don't get to make another move, because Edward is too fast. He somehow maneuvers his hand so it's down the front of my pants, his fingers gliding against my undies. I bite my lip so I don't make a sound. Edward shifts so now he's leaning towards me, but to everybody else it probably just looks like he's sitting close to talk to me. Yet, under the blanket, his hands tell another story.

With a nip to my ear, Edward's finger slides beneath my now soaked undies, and he mercilessly teases me. He moves his fingers up and down, making it all sorts of wet down there. His free hand grabs mine and moves it to his peen, which he somehow managed to free from his pants. His jeans are still on, but his peen has popped out of the zipper, so I grab it in my hand, flicking my wrist up and down as I squeeze him the way he likes. It's a bit hard to jerk him off in this position, plus my dry palm is making it tricky to easily slide up and down his peen.

I pull my hand away and bring it up to my mouth, pretending to cough. After my fake cough, I quickly spit into my palm and then bring it back down, stroking Edward with my own lubrication. It's much easier this way, and I can feel him harden in my hand. His face is so close to mine, and his warm breath puffs out against my neck as he quietly pants. I can tell he's close, because his hand has stopped moving inside of me, and his fingers just mindlessly flick out every so often with no real rhythm. His breathing increases and when he squeezes his eyes shut, I feel a warm spurt of jizz spill over my hand. Edward slouches back against his seat and licks his lips, a lazy smile forming on his face. My hand is still covered in his jizz, and I look around for something to help me out. Thankfully, there are some napkins sticking out of the tray table in front of Edward, so when he finally comes back down from his orgasm high, he uses them to clean himself up. He hands me one so I can wipe my hand off as well.

After we're both all cleaned up, Edward shifts back towards me, and his fingers come to life again, finding their way back inside me. A tight coil burns in my belly as his fingers pump in and out, as I squirm against them. Because of the position we're in, I'm literally riding his hand right now, and it feels incredible. I am so close to getting off, then Edward leans over and tugs on my earlobe with his teeth, as he whispers in my ear.

"You are so fucking hot right now."

That's all it takes, and I'm reeling, thrashing as little as possible in my small, stupid airplane seat, but I can't help it. My body needs to move as twingles shoot through it at rapid speed. My breathing is hard, and I can feel a drip of sweat run down my neck. I look around, certain that everyone is probably staring at us. Carlisle is still passed out against the window, the people across the aisle seem totally engrossed in the movie, and the flight attendants are all the way down in the galley prepping the snack cart. We totally got away with it! I have a stupid grin on my face, psyched that Edward and I were sneaky enough to get a junior membership into the mile high club while on a plane with our dads.

_Oh Shit! Charlie!  
_  
And as if right on cue, he speaks.

"Bells? Everything okay?"

Charlie peers around the seat until he's looking at me. I nod my head and manage to squeak out some lame excuse.

"Just thought I felt some turbulence or something. You know how planes kind of freak me out."

They don't really. But Charlie has no idea. Thankfully, he seems to buy it and pats me on the shoulder.

"Try and rest kid, you'll be fine."

"Thanks," I say and crouch down as far as I can in the small seat.

Edward's shaking with laughter, but stops when I punch his shoulder.

"Not funny," I grind out, which just causes him to laugh some more.

He finally stops as the flight attendant passes by with some snacks, and we spend the rest of the flight taking cat naps, watching lame movies and challenging each other to epic games of tic-tac-toe.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Our car rental is waiting for us at the airport, and thankfully Charlie doesn't make a big deal about letting Edward and I sit together in the back. I'm almost expecting another snarky comment, but he's pretty good, even offering to drive since Carlisle is still groggy from the flight. Edward and I barely pay attention to what's happening with our dads, and instead use the car ride to solidify plans for the next few days. We have two days to spend in New Haven and then a day and a half in New York.

Edward is meeting with some Yalie and is supposed to shadow him for both days to get a feel for the classes and the campus. There are also some presentations that he'll check out along with Carlisle. Basically, it boils down to the fact that I am stuck all alone in New Haven for two days. Oh, wait. Not alone...I have Charlie. Even better. I flip through the guidebook to New Haven that Yale has thoughtfully sent Edward and find a few museums and other things Charlie might be interested in. If I fill up our days with stuff then it probably won't be too awkward.

Over an hour later, we finally pull into our hotel. We're all exhausted from the travel, so we grab a quick bite to eat in the crappy hotel restaurant before turning in for the night. Carlisle heads into his room while Edward kind of lingers by the door so we can say goodnight. Charlie, however, seems to be taking forever with our room key, fiddling with it and not getting it to work. I march over, snatch the card from him and slide it through, allowing the door handle to pop open easily.

"There, it works," I say, handing him the card back with a raised eyebrow.

Thankfully Charlie gets the hint, mutters something unintelligible under his breath, and walks into the room. As soon as Charlie's through the threshold, Edward's hands are wrapped around my waist, and he pulls me flush up against him. My face falls to the crook of his neck, and despite the fact that he has that stale plane smell, he's still so overwhelmingly delicious.

I might lick him.

Edward chuckles, then tips my chin up so he can kiss me. I melt into his lips, my eyes closing as I sigh into his mouth.

"So good," I mumble and feel Edward's lips form a smile.

"Yes, you are," he responds, right before placing a quick peck on my nose.

"See you at breakfast?" he asks as he begrudgingly lets me go.

"Yup, and then you have school, mister," I joke, and Edward rolls his eyes at me.

"I'll be done around five, so we can all get dinner together. I'll text you as soon as I know when I'll be free for sure. I have to meet this R. Hale at nine-fifty in the morning," he says with a yawn.

Despite our minds still being on West coast time, we're both exhausted from all the traveling and know that a decent bedtime would be a good idea. Plus, I could really use a shower. I get up on my tip toes and give Edward a kiss goodnight before heading back into my room, where Charlie's already picked one of the beds and is sprawled out, watching some baseball game.

After a long, hot shower, I'm more than ready to go to bed, but I spend a few minutes texting with both Alice and Edward, despite the fact that he's in the next room. Soon, my eyelids start drooping, and I fall asleep, my cell phone clutched tightly in my hand.

**OoOoOoOoO**

The next morning we grab a quick breakfast in town at a super tiny place that has the best eggs ever. After we eat, we walk into campus so Edward can meet the Yalie who he'll be shadowing. I have to say, the place is pretty gorgeous. It's full of old brick buildings literally covered in ivy. With Carlisle wielding a map of campus, we look like total tourists trying to navigate our way around but finally find the spot we're supposed to meet R. Hale. I sit next to Edward while he points out different buildings that he think he'll be checking out.

"Excuse me, are you Edward?"

We both look up to find a stunning blonde staring back, appraising us. Her crystal clear blue eyes are shining, and her porcelain skin is radiant in the sunlight. She's wearing a short navy blue skirt, knee high socks and a fitted cream colored sweater. She looks like she came straight out of any fifteen year old boys wet dream.  
_  
Kill me now. _

"Hi," she says, her bell-like voice filling the space around us. "I'm Rosalie Hale. Welcome to Yale!"

Of course this is R. Hale. Because my life can't be made easy by having some total nerdboy show Edward around. Nope. He needs to have the beauty with brains do the job. To his credit, Edward just stands up and gives her extended hand a shake, giving her a slight smile and not ogling her in the slightest.

"Yup, I'm Edward. This is my girlfriend, Bella," he says, pulling me towards him.

I can't help but smile at his sweetness but can't muster up the ability to shake her hand, so I just give a really awkward wave as I curl into Edward's side.

"Nice to meet you, Bella," she says, but she doesn't seem all that thrilled to be meeting me.

_Bitch._

She looks at her cell phone and huffs.

"We're going to be late, so we need to get going."

Edward nods his head before heading over to Carlisle to quickly confirm their meet up for later, which leaves me and Rosalie standing together in awkward silence.

"Well, um...have fun," I say to her, trying to make conversation.

Rosalie spares me a half smile before Edward makes his way back.

"Ready?" she asks, already turning on her heel to leave.

Edward scoops me into a hug and presses a warm kiss to my cheek.

"Love ya," he says with a grin before running off to catch up to Rosalie.

"Love ya," I whisper back, even though he's well out of earshot.

**OoOoOoOoO**

I chew on the edge of my ragged fingernail while we wait for our lunch. My stomach feels all weird, and I'm not even sure I'm hungry. Maybe I am. It's been a while since we've had breakfast, so I probably should eat, but I'm afraid that if any food hits my stomach it won't be good news. I still can't believe that out of all the geeky nerds that go to Yale, Edward has to shadow the one student that looks like she stepped out of _Vogue_. My nail is already at a stump by the time our food gets here. At least eating alleviates the awkward silence with Charlie and is a distraction for me. We spent most of the morning with Carlisle, checking out the few museums on campus, and by the time we had finished, I could tell Charlie needed a break. Carlisle went off to some future-Yalie parents' lecture while Charlie and I got lunch

Obviously hungry, Charlie finishes his burger way faster than I do, mostly because I pick at it, rather than eat it. Finally, after giving me a variety of looks, he decides to speak.

"So, what about you, kid?"

I ask him what he means, and he clarifies that he wants to know what I'm thinking about regarding college. I take a deep breath, and because it's either this or silence, I plunge forward. I remind him of all the schools I applied to, and he nods his head as he remembers. When I mention a few of the schools, he frowns for a bit and asks a few more questions. Understanding dawns on me, and we both are silent for a bit.

"Bells. I'm gonna miss you no matter where you go, you know that, right?" he asks, and I nod, wondering where he is going with this.

He pulls a map out of his back pocket and looks it over.

"I think we need to go on a little side trip of our own, tomorrow," he declares.

He shows me the map and points right over the border to Massachusetts.

"Let's go check out this Smith place," he says. "I hear it ain't half bad."

I grin, wondering when, amidst all the teasing and grumbling, Charlie turned into a pretty kickass dad.

Later that evening, we meet up with Edward and Carlisle at some pizza place in town. The line is already out the door, which seems absurd for pizza, but Edward texted me and promised that this will be the best pizza ever. I'm anxious to know how his day has gone and more than curious as to how his time spent with Rosalie has been. I don't need to wonder too much as I finally spot him in line...standing right next to Rosalie.

Edward's face lights up when he sees me, and I manage a smile for him in return. We head over, and I shyly say hello to Rosalie, and hope Edward has a good explanation as to why she's here.

"Hey babe," he says, wrapping his arms around me.

I immediately feel ten times lighter, and despite Rosalie's proximity, my nerves are somewhat eased.

"Hey," I mumble into his neck.

"Aren't you gonna introduce me to your girl?" asks a booming voice, and I look up to see a hulk of a man standing behind Rosalie.

Edward grins as he turns towards the guy.

"Emmett, this is my girlfriend Bella and her dad, Charlie," Edward adds, nodding towards Charlie, who gives a wave then goes back to looking at the menu Carlisle has.

"Nice to meet you Bella," Emmett booms, grabbing my hand in his, shaking vigorously.

"Same," I say with a genuine laugh. Emmett is overwhelming in both size and energy, and I can't help but smile.

"Do you go to Yale as well?" I ask, wondering how Edward now knows him.

"I do indeed," he says with a proud grin. "They snagged me for my skills on the field."

Rosalie walks over to him and rolls her eyes, wrapping her hands around one of his meaty arms.

"You know that's a lie. They wanted you for your brains, too," she says as she stands up on her tiptoes and kisses the side of his head.

Rosalie and Emmett get into a little debate of brawn versus brains while Edward and I look on, amused.

"They've been like that most of the day," he whispers to me, and explains how right after his first class with Rosalie, they ran into Emmett and he hasn't left them since.

I'm way less stressed about the whole Ivy League Barbie situation now that I've met Emmett, and I even find myself warming up to Rosalie. We've been in line for almost an hour when we're finally seated, and by now, we're all chatting together like we're old friends.

"I hope you all are ready for the best pizza of your lives!" exclaims Emmett, his mouth watering as he looks at other peoples' tables.

"This better be good," grumbles Charlie. "I'm starving."

"Me too," agrees Carlisle, and the two men bond over their hunger.

Pizza is ordered and when it comes, I have to admit, it looks delicious. It tastes even better, and soon we've all stuffed ourselves with at least three pieces each of the best pizza ever. I swear Emmett inhaled an entire pie of his own. As Carlisle and Charlie enter a friendly argument over who's going to pay for dinner, Edward and I sneak out. As he takes my hand and leads me to a bakery down the street, I fill him in on my plans with Charlie for tomorrow, and he gets way more excited than he should.

"I haven't even gotten in anywhere, Edward. Don't get your hopes up just yet."

"I don't need hope, Bella. I've got faith," he says with a straight face.

I look over at him, and he's holding back a laugh. We both break down into giggles, and for the first time today, things feel perfect. No stress over where I'll be going to school. No fear over hot blonds trying to woo away my boyfriend. Just me and Edward, laughing, holding hands and being us.

* * *

**A/N:** A few things...

I know it's always totally cheezetastic when peeps add in RL Twilight related stuff to fic...and I totes just did that with having the in flight entertainment be _The Last Airbender_. But...I actually did "research" (*snort*) and some airlines are really showing this movie currently on their West to East coast flights. so...there.

Re: the pizza place they visit. One of my prereaders was all "My stomach would eat itself before waiting that long for pizza!" Here's the thing. This isn't any regular pizza. This is the most amazing pizza in the world. I know...that's saying a lot. Ok...I've been to Italy. Let's just say this is the most amazing pizza in the US. http:/www(DOT)pepespizzeria(DOT)com/ If you ever find yourself in CT, stop by Pepe's in New Haven. Don't bother going to all the "new" versions that have opened up across the state. Check out the one that's been open almost 100 years. It's phenom, and yes, I've waited over an hour in line just to eat there. nom. Is there a food place you've ever done that for?

Oh, and have I mentioned lately how much you all rock? Well, you do. Thanks for reading and fav'ing and putting this ridiculously fluffy fic on alert. I heart you all. xo


	23. Elliott & Chinese Food

**A/N:** *waves* Welcome to part II of the trip out East. Thanks again to everyone reading along, fav'ing & alerting this fic. Oh...and last weekend we took a little road trip down to New Haven and were hoping for Pepe's pizza Friday night...no dice. Take out was over a 3 hour wait, and we didn't even bother heading down to see how long the line for the actual sit down part was. We did, however, swing by around noon on Saturday, and while the line was out the door already, we had called in our pizza and didn't have to wait - nom nom nom. Yeah...it really is that crazy there.

Big thanks to Char for beta-ing this chap and to the wondertwinh00rs Gin & Caren for prereading. *mwah* you are all deserving of bewbgropes and bonghits! xo

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high._

* * *

The next day, we drop Edward and Carlisle off in front of the steps to a large library before hopping on the highway and driving north. The drive up is quiet until Charlie turns the radio on, and we enjoy our shared love for classic rock. Then, as we cross the border into Massachusetts, I become the navigator and realize that Charlie and I actually work quite well together. We end up parking and find our way onto the Smith campus. It's different than Yale's...much less imposing and grand. Yet, there's something about it that feels...right. We don't have any appointments or anything since this was a spontaneous trip, so we walk around, checking things out.

I stumble across a few girls sitting on a bench, discussing a class they just had excitedly. Their energy rubs off on me, and I pull Charlie towards another area we haven't explored yet. After a couple hours, we wind up grabbing a bite to eat at a deli. Today's lunch feels light years away from yesterday's. As I look around the small but busy town, I find myself thinking that I could see myself living here, going to school here.

I look up to see Charlie giving me a knowing glance. I shrug it off, and he doesn't press it, but I wonder what he wants to say. My heart races at the thought of possibly going here, of being near Edward, and getting to study at a school with a program I'm truly interested in. I try not to let myself get overly excited about the possibility, because who the hell knows if I'll get in, but it feels really good to hope for it.

"I like it here," says Charlie through a bite of his corned beef.

"Of course you do," I reply. "It's an all girls school. There are no boys for you to worry about."

Charlie shrugs but doesn't correct me, and I roll my eyes, happy that he also seems to think it's a good fit for me in his own, dad-like way. He asks me more about the program I'm interested in, and as I'm about to launch into a whole schpiel describing it, my phone starts buzzing. Thinking it might be Edward, I grab it.

"Sorry, one sec?" I ask Charlie, and he nods before diving back into his sandwich.

I barely manage to get out a hello before the person on the other end begins screeching. Not shouting, not yelling, but screeching.  
_  
Alice._

"Bella! I did it! I did it! I got into Parsons!"

Alice's screams echo through my cell phone as I hold it away from my ear to prevent permanent hearing loss. Charlie looks up and chuckles, hearing Alice on the other end.

"Tell her congrats, from me," he whispers, and I nod my head, letting him know that I will if I get a chance to actually speak.

"...and Jasper will be at NYU, of course. But you already knew that, right? So it will be so perfect. We'll be able to see each other and hang out all the time. And Parsons! Did I mention I got into Parsons? Bella! Are you there? Are you listening to me? You're probably swooning over Edward right now, aren't you? Sheesh. Well, tell him too. We'll be so close to him, only an hour and a half train ride away!"

Alice continues to blather on, and when she finally pauses to take a breath, i jump into the conversation, letting her know how happy I am for her. Parsons is one of the best fashion and design schools in the country, and I know that Alice will do kickass things there. I can already picture her flitting around the city, finding out of the way vintage shops and altering things into her very own. I better get some "Alice originals" once she makes it big.

"Bella? Bella!" Alice shouts at me through the phone, and I guess I must have drifted off there for a second.

"Sorry about that. What were you saying?"

"I was asking how your trip's been?"

"Oh," I sigh, wanting to tell her about it but needing to censor myself since Charlie is sitting right across from me. "It's really great. Edward seems to love Yale, and New Haven's pretty cool. Charlie and I are actually about an hour and a half away checking out a school for me..."

Alice jumps on that immediately, and before long,soon I'm filling her in about Smith. Her excitement is infectious. On the drive back to New Haven, I finally have time to process everything that's happened so far today. My head is swirling with possibilities, and before long, Charlie is pulling into the parking garage of our hotel. A quick text from Edward lets us know that they're in town grabbing a bite to eat, so we decide to join them. After dinner, Charlie and Carlisle somehow let us off to explore on our own with the explicit instructions that we're back by eleven, since we're going to wake up early and take the train into New York the next day.

Edward and I stumble across a sweet looking coffee shop and each get something warm to drink. Instead of enjoying them there, however, we take them and stroll around Yale's campus. As we walk, Edward points out different buildings he's been in and tells me more about the classes he's sat in on with Rosalie. The way his eyes light up and his hands move around all excitedly as he speaks, it's clear that he's decided on going to Yale, even if he won't admit it to himself yet. I smile, laughing along at his stories and squeezing his hand tighter as my tummy knots up over thoughts of next year.

Edward walks me down a dimly lit path towards what looks like a church. We walk up the stairs and sit against a stained glass wall, looking out to the empty courtyard.

"So...Alice got into Parsons," I let him know.

"She did, huh? Good for her," he says, smiling warmly.

"Yeah," I agree. "I know Jasper must be excited. I mean, I remember how he was when they were apart for a weekend. Who knows what sort of monster he'd be if they were separated for longer than that."

As soon as I say that, however, a prickly feeling of dread washes over me as I think about me and Edward next year. I know that I won't be going to any school in New Haven, let alone Yale.

"Bella..." Edward warns, and I can tell he knows I'm making myself anxious.

Spreading his legs open, Edward pulls me closer, and I fit myself inside of them, sitting with my back against his chest. He wraps his arms around my waist, nuzzling his face in the crook of my neck.

"Miss you," he mumbles, and I giggle as his scruff tickles the sensitive part of my skin under my ear.

"I'm right here, silly," I tell him, squeezing his hands.

"You know what I mean," he breathes into my ear. "With our dads here and shit, it's hard to find any real alone time with you. Plus, being busy all day with Yale stuff doesn't help, either."

I melt into his touch, because I understand what he means, and I want to feel more of him. I want nothing more than to turn around, straddle him and get off, but there is something incredibly perfect about just sitting here quietly like this. Edward continues to nuzzle my neck, and I twist my head, letting him have better access. He shifts slightly and I can feel his hard peen pressing into me and suddenly, I want a bit more. My lips find his, and I mumble that I love him as I kiss him, causing him to suck my bottom lip into his mouth, scraping it gently with his teeth. His hand finds its way to the one sliver of skin that's exposed, like he has some sort of special radar, and soon, his hand is up my shirt, cupping my boob. I hear some laughter in the distance and pull back just as Edward's fingers find my nipple.

"Edward," I moan. "People...people are walking by."

Edward pulls his hand out just in time to see a couple of coeds scurry by, laughing in our direction. My cheeks heat up, and Edward pulls me back towards him and strokes my hair.

"Oops," he says, but he doesn't sound the least bit apologetic.

"Yeah, oops," I respond, rolling my eyes.

I don't rag on him too much, because my mind can only think about how I won't have many more "oops" moments with Edward if I end up in a school far away from here. I can feel Edward fumbling around behind me, and then hear the hiss of a lighter. I turn to look, and he's lit a cig and is holding it up to my lips.

"Where'd that come from?" I ask, remembering how we decided not to bother sneaking any smokable contraband that the Chief would notice.

"Pawned it off Rose. Well, her friend actually. I don't think Rose would be caught dead with a cigarette near her," he explains, and I can almost hear his eyes rolling.

I accept it with a giggle, inhaling deeply and allowing the crazy chemicals and the nicotine to infiltrate my blood stream, relaxing me almost instantaneously.

"Thanks," I let out with the smoke.

"Mmhmm..." Edward hums as he takes his own drag.

We sit there, sharing a cig and talking about our plans for New York the next day. We're going to get up early, grab a train into the city, and check out a bunch of touristy stuff before sleeping over in a hotel, then leaving for home the next day. We sit there talking until we realize we'd better leave so Charlie lets us live to see New York. Walking back to the hotel hand in hand, I try and imprint these quiet moments in my mind to have forever, regardless of what's to come.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

My feet are killing me, and I can tell by the looks on the guys faces that they're pretty beat as well. Walking around the city for most of the day was fun, but we're all tired and hungry, and some of us are even cranky.

"When are we going to get dinner? My stomach is about to eat itself," complains Edward, and I swear this must be the fifteenth time he's asked in the last half hour.

If I think I'm going to get any help from the two older men, I'm sorely mistaken.

"Yeah, I'm pretty hungry myself," adds Carlisle, his voice bordering on a whine.

The cherry on the cake is my own father.

"Yeah, Bells. It's getting late - what are we doing?"

Somehow, between Fifth Avenue and Broadway, these guys reverted back to being toddlers who are incapable of doing anything for themselves. I hold up my finger, telling them to wait a second, before pulling up mapquest on my phone. Finding what I'm looking for, I tell them to follow me. I almost want to add a "and no complaining, or you won't get any dessert," but I have a feeling that their sense of humor is lacking at the moment.

We take the subway, which seems to entertain them for a bit, and then walk a few more blocks, which results in some grumbling. At this point I'm not above asking Edward if he somehow sneaked any pot on this trip with him because I need some sort of mind erase after the last hour. When we reach our destination, I cheer up, knowing that food is near, yet even the promise of a warm meal isn't enough for these guys.

"Lucky Cheng's?" reads Charlie. "Aw, Bells. You know I don't love Chinese food."

I roll my eyes at Charlie's grumbling and reassure him that he'll be able to find something to eat. Carlisle is looking at the brightly decorated restaurant skeptically, and Edward pulls me over to him.

"Is this place any good?" he asks, and I shrug.

"Alice recommended it. She said she really enjoyed herself when she was visiting school in the city with her folks."

Edward nods his head as he looks over the menu that's pasted by the door.

"Looks fine to me, now let's go! Have I mentioned I'm starving?" he asks with a wink.

I pinch his arm through his jacket before opening the door, causing the guys to follow. A girl in a skintight leopard print dress greets us. I give her a once over, and my eyes widen at her shoes. The heels on her strappy black sandals have to be at least six inches high.

"Table for four?" she asks with a smile.

I smile back, nodding, and try to overlook her outfit. This _is_ New York City after all. We follow her through the dining room to an empty table. For the most part this looks like an average Chinese restaurant. There is lots of red velvet and black lacquered furniture. However, in addition to the regular decor of paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling, there are carefully placed disco balls that sparkle and twirl.  
_  
Huh._

As we're seated, the hostess hands us our menu, letting us know that our server will be right over for drink orders.

"Oh, and you all made it just in time for the show. It should be starting in fifteen minutes. You're both eighteen, right?" she asks with a slight smirk, looking at me and Edward.

_The show? Eighteen?  
_  
The guys look at me like I know what she is talking about, but I shake my head, just as clueless as they are. We focus on our menus and are all ready to order. Finally, our waitress shows up, and she's just as brazenly dressed as the hostess. Her tiny figure is wrapped up in a shiny blue mini dress that's supposed to resemble a kimono. Only, it hardly covers anything a traditional kimono would. The blue eye shadow she's wearing rivals the brightness of her dress, but she seems to pull it off in a club-kid sort of way. I can't help staring at her as she waits patiently for us to order. Something about her is off, but I cant quite place what it is. Her hair is clearly a wig, but it's still a pretty good one. I notice Charlie staring at her, especially when she bends over to retrieve Edward's menu. I shake my head and then place my order, hoping the chicken fried rice isn't too greasy.

Our drinks come, and it doesn't escape my notice that both of our fathers ordered beer. I wonder what the odds are that they get drunk enough that they won't notice if Edward and I escape our rooms for a while. Judging by Charlie's hawk-eyes on us as Edward rubs circles into my hand that he's holding, my guess is slim to none.

_Fuckersticks._

I switch hands, so Edward is holding the one farthest from him, and I drop my other one below the table. As we listen to Carlisle share some work story, my fingers grip the top of Edward's thigh, rubbing slowly up and down it. Edward gasps and chokes on his soda as my fingers brush up against his peen.

"Went down the wrong pipe," he spurts out.

Carlisle doesn't seem to notice, but Charlie fixes him with a glare, and I quickly pull my hand away, not wanting to cause any trouble. Before Charlie's able to say anything, our food arrives, and the guys all dig right in, stuffing their mouths full without stopping to breath. My rice is good, and my belly is definitely happy right now. I'm about to try some of Edward's General Tso's chicken when the lights start to dim.

"Oh, this must be that show the hostess mentioned," remarks Carlisle.

Our attention is pulled to a little stage I hadn't noticed when we arrived. Green and pink lights start flashing, and the unmistakable bass thump of a popular Lady Gaga song starts blaring from some speakers. A large woman in a pink sequined dress comes up on stage. Only...she's not a woman. She's a man in drag. Crazy drag! She has a big, platinum blonde bouffant wig on with a purple bow neatly tucked into it. Her dress stops mid thigh, and her legs are covered with tights in a crazy pattern. Her outfit is complete with ten pounds of garishly colored make up and huge crystal platform shoes. No wonder Alice loves this place.

"Hello, kittens!" coos the woman on stage. "I'm Miss Tobell Von Cartier, and I'm here to welcome you to Lucky Cheng's! Are you all ready to get lucky?"

The crowd around us hoots and hollers. I look around the table and see Charlie quickly downing his beer, while Carlisle is staring straight ahead, his jaw dropped open and a smidge of Kung Pow shrimp stuck to his teeth. I look over at Edward, and he's got a huge grin on his face.

"This is fucking awesome!" he exclaims with a laugh. "Wait until I tell Jasper!"

He flips his cell phone open and snaps a quick picture. His flash was on though, and it somehow catches the attention of Miss Von Cartier. How she could see his little flash amidst all the glitzy disco balls and colorful lights is beyond me.

"I have a fan, do I?" she purrs, walking straight up to Edward. On the way, she manages to ruffle Carlisle's perfectly coiffed hair, shooting him a cheeky wink.

I look over and Edward is no longer smiling. In fact, he looks down right petrified. His right hand scrambles for mine, and I take it while tamping down the laughter that is threatening to erupt.

"And what's your name, handsome?" asks Miss Von Cartier, licking her lips like she's just seen the biggest pork chop ever.

"E-Edward," stutters my shell-shocked boyfriend.

"Well, hello there, Edward. Want to come..." she pauses for a few beats, much to the crowds delight. "...on stage with me?"

Edward shakes his head while the crowd begins chanting his name, like we're at Jerry Springer or something. He's looking at me like I can save him, but truth be told, I want to see what happens when he gets on stage. Unfortunately, Carlisle finally snaps, too. He tosses way too much money on the table, grabs Edward, waves goodbye to Miss Von Cartier, and we're out the door before I can even see what the drag queen dressed up as eighties Cher has in mind.

I double over in laughter as we hit the sidewalk, watching as Charlie, Carlisle and Edward process what the fuck just happened in there.

"We do not tell your mother about this, understand?" Carlisle asks, looking at Edward in the eyes.

"No worries on my end," Edward mumbles, and I reach out to grab his hand, totally endeared to how ridiculous he's being now.

"All fun and games until somebody in sequins wants you to come up on stage for a little something special, huh?" I tease, earning a glare from Edward. Yet, he still holds my hand tightly as we make our way back to the hotel for the night. **  
**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The next day, we wake up early to make our flight back home. Another long day of travel, this one without Edward's hands in my pants, finds us completely exhausted by the time Esme picks us up in Seattle. We finally make it home, and Edward's able to steal a quick kiss as Charlie gets our bags from the trunk.

"Thank you," he says, and I know he's talking about more than just coming on the trip.

"You're welcome," I reply, melding my lips to his slightly chapped ones.

The sound of Charlie clearing his throat behind me ends the kiss abruptly, so I tell Edward we'll talk later tonight before I crash for the day. I help gather up our stuff, and we wave good bye to the Cullens, thanking them for allowing us to tag along. Charlie opens the door, and we both trudge in, tired and grimy from all the travel. I toss our bags into the living room to deal with in the morning and go grab some cereal and milk so I'm not going to bed totally hungry. Just as I slide the first sugary spoonful into my mouth, Charlie tosses a handful large, white envelopes onto the table in front of me.  
_  
"Looks like you've got some mail to sort through, Bells."_

* * *

**A/N:** duh duh duh *snicker*

btw - Lucky Cheng's is totally real and can be found at 24 1st Avenue in NYC. The food is actually pretty good and the entertainment is awesome.

This week's chapter title includes the director Stephan Elliot - can you guess why I used him? (I didn't make an actual movie reference this chap...)

Next week we'll be back to the high-jinx and fun you've all come to expect from the Hood gang. See you then!


	24. Marshall & Tequila

**A/N:** Chapter 24 is early this week! But...the tradeoff is that chapter 25 will most likely be late next week. I had a sudden death in the family today and I need to fly out of state for a few days. That means I wouldn't have been able to post on Friday and decided to just post early, rather than let you wait. It also means, I might not be in the best frame of mind to write for a bit, so next chap might not be till the following week. Odds are, I'll need the distraction and will try to write, but who knows. A huge thanks to all the wonderul peeps on Twitter who offered love and support. It really does help. xo

Big thanks to my beta Char who spanked the comma fail right out of me. Bewbgropes and thanks to the wondertwin h00rs - my prereaders Gin & Caren.

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I just enjoy getting them high!_

* * *

I look at the pile of envelopes Charlie threw down. Some of them are small and slim, while others are bigger and quite thick. He must realize that I'm totally nervous, because he picks them back up and thrusts them in my direction. My heart leaps up into my throat as I hold a shaky hand out, taking them from him.

"Th-thanks," I stutter, licking my suddenly dry lips.

I don't even look at them. Instead, I opt to follow Charlie into the living room and drop the pile on the couch. There looks to be two slim envelopes and three larger ones. The fact that my acceptances outweighs the rejections makes me feel a bit better. I debate whether it would be a better idea to open the rejection letters first or second. I decide to open them first. The first has Stanford's address stamped on the front. This is definitely one of my "reach" schools, so I'm not completely shocked. I slide it open and pull out the singular sheet of paper within.

_Dear Miss Swan,_  
_We regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you admission to Stanford University. We had a large applicant pool this year, making selection incredibly difficult..._

I stop reading and toss it aside, muttering "Stanford," in response to Charlie's questioning glance. The next envelope is from the University of Chicago, and I'm actually a little surprised that it looks like I didn't get in. I tear into that one and scan it, confirming my thoughts. I toss it at Charlie. He can check it out for himself, if he wants. I open the next one, and it's actually just a pamphlet for a local community college. I set it aside, just in case. Who knows what I'll be needing...

Looking at the pile of larger envelopes, I steel myself, knowing that there's a chance that Smith isn't amongst them. I'm sure I'll be getting a couple more in the next few days. I blindly choose one and smile when I see it's the University of Washington. If Edward wasn't in the picture, that school wouldn't be a bad choice. I know a bunch of kids who plan to go there, and it's a great school. I pick up the next one and stare at the stamp in the top left corner. My eyes bug out, and I hold it up to show Charlie.

I tear into the packet, my eyes getting all misty. Through the salty blur I'm able to see the words.

_Dear Miss Swan,_

_We are delighted to inform you that we are offering you a place in the Smith College class of 2014. Please accept our personal congratulations for your outstanding achievements. _

I keep reading, almost in disbelief, wondering why the letters keep jumping around the page.

"Bells," Charlie says as he rests his hand on mine. "You're shaking."

The combination of a long day of travel plus finding out I got into Smith sends me reeling, and before I can help it, big, fat tears start rolling down my face.

"Bella?" Charlie asks, his voice laced with concern. "I...I thought you would be happy about this?"

I nod, wiping the tears away with my sleeve.

"I am. These are happy tears," I explain.

Charlie shakes his head and mutters something about girls that I can't quite hear. I stand up, making sure to give him a huge hug before I dash upstairs to my room. Once there, I take a deep breath and start laughing hysterically. This is really happening. I start leafing through the packet in my hand, excited about all the possibilities next year will offer. I'll be in a gorgeous location, be able to take phenomenal classes by well respected faculty, and will only be an hour and a half away from Edward.

_Edward! _

I grab my cell phone, quickly scrolling to his name and press send. Sadly, I get his voice mail, and when I call his house, Esme informs me he's in the shower. Thoughts of Edward in the shower distract me for a brief second before I ask her to have him call me back. I debate taking a shower of my own, but I don't want to miss Edward's call. I want to text Alice and let her know, but I really want Edward to be the first one I tell. I flip through all the paperwork while waiting for him to call back and see that they've offered me a scholarship. It's not a ton, and I'll still have to get a part time job, but it's better than nothing, and I know Charlie will be relieved.

The phone rings, and I grab it, not even bothering to look at the caller id.

"Guess what!" I practically shriek, and I can hear the familiar chuckle on the other end of the line.

"What?" Edward asks.

"I got into Smith!" I shout and I hear Edward shout with joy.

I give him a few more details, and we talk for a bit before we're both succumbing to yawns. I still need to shower before going to bed, so we reluctantly say goodnight, but make plans to go to breakfast the next morning.

**OoOoOoOoO**

I'm warm, cozy, and it's dark, so I'm pretty sure I'm still asleep. But all I can smell is the delicious mixture of leather, old tobacco and mint. I toss around and swear I feel a hand brush away some hair on my face. My eyes still shut, I can feel the end of my bed sag down with the weight of something. I'm almost afraid to open my eyes, because while I'm really hoping that it's a certain somebody sitting on the edge of my bed, I know there is no way in hell Charlie would allow it. I scrunch my eyes tightly, allowing myself one more second of believing Edward's in my room, watching me sleep, before I finally open them up.

I blink away the nighttime crumbles that gather in my eyes, and my gaze settles on the person at the foot of the bed.

"Edward?"

His smiles is blinding, and he cautiously scoots up so he's sitting next to me.

"I came to take you out for breakfast. But, then I saw you here, and thought...dessert before breakfast sounds good."

"But...but..." I manage to sputter out, panicked. "What about Charlie?"

Edward winks and slides even closer to me.

"Don't worry," he says, and I swear he purrs right in my ear. "I can be quiet. Can you?"

His fingers burn a trail across my collarbone before dipping under my pajama top towards my boob. I grab his hand, pushing it away, and sit up, my eyes bugging out. I pull up the comforter for good measure before I lay into him. Not only do I most likely have morning breath, but my father could walk in any moment.

"Do you want to leave here two balls lighter than when you came in? I don't think so. So, cut it out!" I hiss.

I expect Edward to break out of his horny haze, but instead, he just laughs.

"Relax, Bella. Charlie's not here. His car is gone, and there's a note downstairs saying he missed the lake and was going fishing. He thoughtfully left the door unlocked, so I let myself in. Now...you're all mine," he says with a grin.

He leans forward to kiss me, but I clamp a hand over my mouth, mumbling "hold that thought," as I dash for the bathroom. I quickly pee, brush my teeth and tie my hair back so it's not resembling a rat's nest anymore, then head back to my room. Edward is stretched out on my bed with his back against the headboard. He looks perfect there. I flop down next to him, rolling over to hug him.

"I got into Smith," I whisper, even though he already knows.

"Are you going to go?" he asks, and I know he's been sitting on that question since yesterday.

"I think so," I reply honestly, letting him know that Charlie and I need to sit down and figure out the financial stuff first, but it seems pretty likely.

"It will be awesome to have my girlfriend less than two hours away," he says, and I can't help but squeal, knowing he's decided to attend Yale.

He laughs and pulls me on top of him, and now I'm straddling him in just an old pair of boxer shorts and a tank top. I can feel him beneath me, all hard and poky, and I think I'd like nothing more than to you know...do it. I bite my bottom lip before grinding my hips into Edward's.

"I...I think I'm ready, Edward," I breathe out.

"Bella..." he warns, but it comes out more like a moan. "Are you sure?"

Instead of answering him with words, I move my hips over his again until we're lined up perfectly. I brace my hands on his chest and keep shifting up and down, rubbing myself against him. If we weren't wearing any clothes, we'd totally be doing it right now. I smirk at the thought, and then in a moment of total bravery, I peel my tank top off of me, giving Edward a face full of boob. He doesn't need any instruction and takes one in his mouth, licking, nipping and swirling his tongue in the best way possible. I quicken my pace, grinding against him harder, and push my boobs out more, wanting him be a little more forceful. Instead of giving me more, he jerks away.

"Shit, Bella...wait...no...shit," he says with a groan, his red face grimacing.

I immediately stop and jump off him, covering up my chest, suddenly embarrassed. Did I hurt him? This was not a particularly good way towards the path to sexy town. I quickly scan his body to see if he's okay. That's when I notice a wet stain on his crotch.  
_  
Oh. Ohhhhh..._

I look back up to see Edward cradling his head in his hands.

"Damnit," he huffs, but he doesn't look angry, just really frustrated. "I'm sorry, babe. We just haven't been together in a while because of the trip, and then you were riding me all sexy like, and...and then you shoved your tits in my face, which was so fucking hot by the way, and I just lost it."

"It's okay," I say reassuringly, and then go to grab my tank top, realizing I'm half naked.

"No it's not," he grumbles, shaking his head. "You just told me you were ready...that you wanted to do it, and I...I fucking popped my cork before getting to any of the good stuff."

He gets off the bed and makes his way to the bathroom to clean up. I take the chance and get myself dressed, figuring that we should wait for another time. When Edward comes back out, he looks at me with a mixture of relief and disappointment. I sidle up next to him and give him a squeeze.

"I still want to do it, you know," I whisper in his ear before taking his hand and leading him downstairs.

And it's true. Despite the nervous butterflies I have at the thought of doing it, I've also decided that I'm finally ready to go there. But for now, I'll settle for holding Edward's hand and a hot stack of pancakes at the diner.

**OoOoOoOoO**

"This with these, and then this," says Alice as she tosses a jean mini skirt, some tights and a t-shirt on the bed.

"But I'll be cold," I whine, to no avail.

"But you'll look hot. Put them on, you'll see," Alice counters. "And if you're going to be a big baby about it, you can wear a sweater or something."

I grumble but grab the clothes and change into them anyway. This is the third outfit Alice has made me try on, and I'm _this_ close to feeling like Julia Roberts in _Pretty Woman_. Only, you know, less like a hooker. I look at myself in the mirror and can't help but smile. I do look pretty cute. Alice is over to help me get ready for a party in the woods. I scoffed at Edward during breakfast when he told me about it. I have no clue why we can't just hang at the Hood...you know...indoors. But Edward insists that this party will be awesome, and it's a big celebration for all the kids who got their acceptance letters this week, as well as a consolation for those who didn't.

"So..." Alice says, as she brushes my hair. "Did you and Edward, you know...do it...while on vacation?"

I let her get the brush through my tangles before turning around to face her.

"It wasn't like we were in fucking Cancun, Alice! We were sharing hotel rooms with our dads. So...no. " I pout. "We didn't do it. But...we almost sort of did this morning."

Alice is about to run the brush through my hair again, but pulls back and stares at me.

"What? Give me details!"

We move over to my bed and sit next to each other while I describe to Alice what happened. She nods knowingly, even sharing that it happens to Jasper sometimes.

"I think he secretly goes and jerks off in the bathroom first, though," she says, and I can't help but laugh. "Because he's usually got some pretty awesome stamina."

I laugh along with Alice, and we tease our guys...pretty much just for being guys. After finishing up, we wait for Jasper, because he drew the short straw and is the designated driver for the night. Edward's already in the front, so Alice and I pile into the back. A joint gets sparked, and Edward passes it back to me. I inhale deeply, letting the smoke go right to my head. It's been a while since I smoked, and it hits me hard and fast. I only take one more toke before we get there. Alice, as usual, passes on the joint, and opts for a teensy flask she has inside her purse. I shoot her a questioning look, wondering what's inside.

"Tequila," she says with a grin. "I got into Parsons. You'd better believe I'm going to celebrate!"

I laugh and tell her to go for it; she deserves it. Hell, we all deserve it. We drive up to the old community playground, which is completely devoid of kids, but not of cars. It's not packed, because we don't want to attract the cops, so people park in all different locations. We get out and follow a well worn path five minutes into the woods. Soon we can hear shouts of laughter and music in the distance.

We make it to a clearing, and there's already a handful of kids drinking, smoking and hanging out. Alice grabs Jasper's hand, and after a few more sips from her flask, she pulls him into a dark corner. I snicker, knowing what they're probably going to do. Edward walks over to where Marcus and a few other kids from school are hanging out. I go and join him, slipping my arms around his waist. I listen in and realize they're talking about our upcoming senior class trip. It's in two weeks, and we're all pretty excited.

"It's totally lame that we're not going somewhere warm like Mexico or something," grumbles Mike, and we all laugh.

"Yeah, I could totally see that," says Marcus with a roll of his eyes. "Letting a bunch of teenagers loose in Mexico? Nah, they're not that stupid."

We're going to Vancouver, which is actually kind of cool, and they have a bunch of fun stuff set up for us, so I'm looking forward to the trip. Plus, it will be a trip away with Edward that our fathers will _not_ be on. We talk some more before I spy Jasper and Alice stumbling back from the woods. Well, Jasper is walking, while Alice holds on to him, stumbling and swaying all over the place. The girl clearly enjoys her tequila.

"Hey...two pump chump!" Jasper calls out, and I wonder who he's talking to. I watch as he zeros in on Edward, and my mouth drops open. Alice wouldn't have said anything...would she?

I quickly run up to Jasper and hiss in his ear.

"Shut up. Shut up right now if you know what's good for you."

Edward clearly realizes something is going on and walks over to us. Thankfully, this draws us away from the crowd slightly, and nobody seems to be paying attention.

"What's up?" asks Edward.

"Nothing," I quickly sputter, hoping that we can drop this.

"Yeah, nothing," snorts Jasper, but I don't think he's exactly agreeing with me. "Just like nothing happened this morning with you two because of Minuteman Cullen over here!"

I look at Alice, who's cowering near Jasper, realizing that she totally fucked up. She's pulling Jasper away, but the damage is already done. Edward's face is all screwed up, and it's clear that he's pissed. I try to place my hand on his arm to calm him down, but he shrugs me off.

_Shit.  
_  
I know I probably shouldn't have told Alice what happened, but I had no idea she would tell Jasper. Damn that stupid tequila. Edward stalks off but not before grabbing a beer. I watch which way he goes, and give him a few minutes head start, hoping it's long enough for him to cool off. I finally find him leaning against a tree, his eyes closed and a cigarette in his hand.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, knowing that there's no easy way to do this.

"Whatever," he says, and his dismissal is worse than him yelling at me.

"I...I wasn't making fun of you, if that's what you think."

"I said, whatever," Edward grinds out.

"Shit. You don't understand," I try and explain. "I mean, I've already forgotten about it. I was just telling Alice how I was all excited and ready and wanted to...you know...have sex with you. I wasn't upset or anything that it didn't happen. I'm just happy that I know I'm ready."

At that last part he finally looks up at me, and I can see his eyes are slightly rimmed in red. I'm not sure if it's from the pot or because he's been crying. The second reason makes my stomach churn.

"Yeah?" he asks, his voice a little shaky.

"Yeah," I answer, walking closer.

My hand trails up his arm lightly, and he doesn't shrug me off this time, so I become bolder and move my hand to his face, stroking the scruff that I find there. I press my body to his, and he snakes his hand around my waist, pulling me closer.

"I really am sor..." I start to say when our faces end up inches apart, but Edward shakes his head, cutting me off with a kiss. My hands fist his shirt, as if holding him as tightly as possible will make up for my little oops before. He doesn't seem upset now, so I don't press it and instead melt into the kiss.

Soon, my hands are wandering all over and so are Edward's. He seems to remember that I'm wearing a skirt and uses that to his advantage. I silently thank Alice for making me wear it; it almost makes up for her drunken slip. His hand easily slides in between my tights and my skin and he starts to rub his fingers up and down my already wet undies. Without any warning he slides one finger in and then another, and I buck against his hands, whimpering as he thrusts in and out. When his thumb finds my clit, he presses down, sending warm twingles all throughout me. My head falls onto Edward's shoulder, and I call out his name, my voice muffled by his shirt.

When I finally recover, I can feel Edward all hard up against my belly. I wiggle against him a bit before quickly unzipping him and pulling him out of his pants. My hand grabs his peen while I drop down to my knees.

"Ouch," I mutter, trying to shift around to find a better position.

"Huh?" Edward breathes out, not really asking a question. I guess it's hard to form thoughts while I stroke his peen.

"Nothing, just some pine needles digging into my kneecaps. I'll be fine," I reassure him, even though his eyes are closed again and I'm pretty sure he didn't actually hear what I said.

Boys can be totally ridiculous sometimes, especially if somebody is touching their peen. I finally find a position where I don't have anymore pebbles poking my legs and bring my face closer to Edward. I'm eye level with his peen and breathe out against it, causing him to shudder. It's pretty cool out still, but his peen feels warm in my hand as I jerk him off. I look up and watch as his head falls against the tree he's leaning against and his chest rises and falls as his breathing speeds up. I hear some rustling of leaves, and while it's probably just the wind, I really don't want anyone to walk in on us, so I decide to speed things up.

Knowing that Edward doesn't last as long when my mouth is on him, I bend my head forward, licking him from base to tip. I flick my tongue into the divot at the top of his head, grinning to myself when he calls out, "Oh fuck!"

I take him fully into my mouth, and while I suck him off, I use my hands to tug slightly on his balls. I don't really play with them all that much, but they're kind of cute in a jiggly, silly way. Edward seems to dig it when I mess with them though, and we're going for maximum efficiency, so I'm pulling out all the stops. Another minute or two and Edward's grabbed my hair, hissing out that he's so close. I can feel a drip of salty liquid start to spill from his peen, and then his balls firm up in my hand before he ends up coming in large spurts. I end up swallowing, shuddering at the pungent taste.

Edward's beer is on the ground next to him, so I take a swig, but it doesn't really help. Just one bitter liquid covering up another. I stand up, handing Edward his beer and then brush off my knees, which are littered with leaves and pine needles. Edward pulls out a cigarette and lights up, offering me a drag before pulling his own. As he exhales, he closes his eyes, and while I think he's forgiven me, I still feel sort of bad.

"I love you," I say, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"I love you, too," he responds, and those three little words make me feel lighter immediately. I know we're cool.

After he finishes his cigarette, we decide to rejoin the group, but before I can make my way down the path, Edward pulls on my arm, holding me back.

"You know, Swan," he says with a wink. "You better have forgotten about this morning...Because I'll make _sure_ you remember it when it actually happens."

With that, Edward walks off, leaving me a little bit flabbergasted and a whole lot of turned on.

* * *

**A/N:** *snickers* The cock. It has been blocked. But only kinda...you still got a little citrus! And I promise - we are sooooooooo close to the big lemon.

Now, if you need something to read till the next update and are as into slash as I am, check out the In The Closet Contest. I entered, but it's anon - so I can't tell you which one is mine. There are some really fab fics up already! Check out all the entries here: http:/www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/u/2424392/intheclosetcontest

If I don't get a chance this go around - thank you all so much for reading! xo


	25. Howard & Pretzels

**A/N: **You are all so amazingly sweet. Thank you all for your kind words and patience. I am utter fail and didn't respond to last chapter's reviews - but please know I read all of them and thank you so much for taking the time to leave your thoughts as well as your love. The last couple of weeks have been so bittersweet, and hearing from you all definitely put a smile on my face, so thanks. I hope when you read this chapter I'll be let off the hook for my response fail.

Huge, massive, honey dipped thanks to my beta Char - she whipped my ass and helped me make this chapter way better than the original draft - thanks is certainly not enough. ILY.

Spanks and special fudgey brownies to my prereaders Gin & Caren. This chapter is wonderh00r twin approved.

Special shoutout to Nic (PerfectlyPersuasive) for looking over a bit of this chapter & just generally being awesome. You're the vodka to my Red Bull. xo

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I just enjoy getting them high. _

* * *

**I really am sorry. Please text me back.**

I stare at the screen of my cell phone, glaring at Alice's text, hoping she can feel how pissed off I still am. I know she was drunk, and while I certainly have first hand experience of doing stupid shit while drunk, I still can't believe she told Jasper. After the party in the woods, I did my best to ignore Alice, which proved to be hard. That girl has the market cornered on the sad puppy dog look. It also doesn't help that she sent over a double batch of her special extra fudgey brownies.

The bus we're on soars over some bumps, and my cell phone slips from my hand.  
_  
Shit.  
_  
Thankfully, Edward's quick reflexes come to the rescue as his hand shoots out to save my phone from shattering on the floor. He glances at the screen before handing it back to me with a scowl.

"Tila Tequila still trying to apologize?" he asks, using the horrible nickname he gave Alice after that night.

"Yes, and don't call her that," I chastise. "She's still my best friend."

Edward snorts and shakes his head.

"I so don't understand girls sometimes."

I roll my eyes but keep quiet, not wanting to argue with him, despite the fact that he was back to being BFFs with Jasper after only one day of not speaking to him. Apparently all it takes is fifteen minutes of grunting and sweaty wrestling around on the floor of the Hood for boys to forgive each other.

My phone buzzes in my hand, and I debate not even checking it. How many more times can Alice apologize? I just need a few more days to be pissed off and then we'll be fine. The phone feels heavy in my hand, and after five minutes I can't help but check the screen. One quick glance at it and I'm glad that I did. Snorting, I pass the phone over to Edward, urging him to look at it. With a raised eyebrow he takes it from me, and I have to bite my lower lip so I don't burst out laughing.

Edward's eyes grow large as he reads the text and he doesn't hold back. Loud, bell-like laughter erupts from deep in his belly. Then, a wicked smile flits across his face.  
_  
Oh no._

I grab my phone away from him and text Alice back.

**We're even. Love you.**

I put my phone in my purse and look up in time to see Edward start to slowly rise and face the rest of the bus. He looks like he's about to make an announcement and I slink lower into my seat, knowing what's about to come. As much as I want to get back at Jasper, I so don't want to deal with any stupid drama for the rest of this trip. Before Edward is able to say anything, Mrs. Cope is up at the front of the bus, blathering away.

"When we reach our hotel, you are to meet up with your assigned roommate and drop your luggage off. Please do this as quickly as possible because we are meeting our guide at Market Square for lunch and a bit of sight seeing before heading over to Craigdarroch Castle. Make sure to bring your cameras!" she trills before sitting down.

Edward goes to stand up again, but I think what he's about to do is a big mistake, so I tug on his sleeve, pulling him towards me.

"Who's your roommate again?" I ask, trying to distract him.

"Marcus," he says with a shrug. Edward's lucky, at least he got paired with somebody he knows and likes.

"You?" he asks, even though I'm pretty sure I already told him.

"Dee Miller," I say with a sigh. It's not that I don't like Dee, it's just that I don't really know her. She's sort of quiet, in a total bookish way, but also plays soccer. That's pretty much the extent of my knowledge. I mean, I guess it's better than getting stuck with Lauren, so I shouldn't really complain.

"I wish we were roommates," says Edward with a smirk, and I can't contain my smile.

"Me too."

Ever since I told Edward that I was ready to go all the way, we haven't had a moment to ourselves. I'm not sure when we will, but I feel like if it's not sometime soon, I might explode. Edward threads his hand in mine and pecks me on the cheek.

"Soon," he says, as if knowing what I'm thinking.

I snuggle into his chest, and we talk quietly until the bus pulls in. I breathe a sigh of relief that Edward forgot his intended mission as we get off the bus. Unfortunately, as soon as he spots Jasper he makes a beeline for him. At least everyone else seems distracted with getting their suitcases and trudging into the hotel. By the time I make it to them, Jasper has Edward in a headlock, shouting at him to "take it back!"

I throw myself into the mix, pulling Jasper off of Edward.

"Are you two stupid?" I hiss. "You're going to get thrown off the trip, or even worse, suspended, if you continue acting like jackasses."

By now my voice has gotten louder, and we've gathered a small crowd around us. At least the boys have stopped fighting. I'm still angry, though, and keep going.

"So what," I say, glaring at Edward. "So Jasper sucks his thumb in his sleep. No big deal! It's not like..."

I'm prevented from saying anything else by Edward, who's clapped his hand over my mouth. He pulls me away as he gives Jasper the finger with his free hand.

"Love you too, man," Jasper replies, flipping him the bird back.  
_  
Boys.  
_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

I don't have much of a chance to talk to Dee when we first make it to our room because after Edward and Jasper's little stunt outside, there's not a lot time left to unpack and get back to the bus. She seems nice enough, and hopefully she'll break out of her shell the longer we bunk together. The rest of the day is spent touring different parts of Vancouver and passes quickly amidst eating, shopping and historical ruins. A few hours after dinner, we're all sent to our rooms with explicit instructions not to leave them until seven the next morning.

I turn the TV on as a distraction, and with _The DaVinci Code_ on in the background, I stuff my face with honey-mustard pretzels and text both Alice and Edward. Dee seems to be heavily into the movie, and the most words we share is when I pass her my bag of pretzels, offering her some. So when she starts talking suddenly, I'm pretty surprised.

"Hey, Bella?" Dee asks, her voice wavering a bit.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Um, so are you...I mean...is it true that Edward Cullen is your boyfriend?"

Her face flushes, and she's looking anywhere but at me. I have no idea what her deal is. Is she hoping I'm not so she can make a move? I already have to deal with Lauren Mallory making stupid googoo eyes at him. I don't need more competition. _Damn._ I actually thought Dee had friend potential, too.

"Yup," I respond, setting a stern glare in her direction.

Although, instead of looking crestfallen, her eyes light up, and she actually smiles.

"That is awesome!" she squeals, and now I'm totally confused. "Um, do you think that maybe he can...or you could..."

After restarting her sentence twenty different times, she finally spits it out.

"Do you think I could meet Marcus? I know they're roommates, and he's just totally hot and I've always been too nervous to go up and talk to him myself, but maybe, I dunno, you could convince Edward to stay here and I would have to go there. Not for the entire night," she quickly adds, although I doubt Edward would be adverse to that plan. "Just for a couple hours. Maybe?"

"I think we can arrange something, Dee," I reply with a wink, causing her to freak out and start tearing through her suitcase in search of something to wear.

I don't have the heart to tell her that Marcus seems to have the libido of a cold fish, and most likely anything she wears, or doesn't, won't have much of an effect. But, the poor girl seems smitten, and who am I to rain on her lovesick parade? Especially if it gets me some much needed alone time with my boyfriend. After a few quick texts back and forth it's decided that I'll go over to their room and Marcus will come over here. When he shows up he looks mildly disgruntled, but once he sets his eyes on Dee, his lips curl up into something resembling a smile - a first for him, I think. I cross fingers and toes that he'll at least be polite to sweet Dee. Then, I make a bee line for Edward's room.

Edward's lips attack mine the second I'm in his room. I barely have a second to say hi, and he's already stolen my breath away. I melt into his arms, relishing his warmth.

"Mmm..." he sighs. "Honey mustard?"

"Huh?" I ask, still in my kiss-induced daze.

He nods towards my mouth. "You taste like honey mustard."

My hand flies up to cover my mouth.

"I had pretzels," I mumble, trying to sniff my own breath to see how rank it is. "Sorry."

"It's fine," he says with a laugh. "Tangy."

I roll my eyes as I follow him into his room. It looks pretty much the same as the one I'm sharing with Dee, although it's already messy, clothes strewn about everywhere. There's also a lingering scent of sweaty boy already permeating the place. I should have had Edward come back to our room.

I look around and realize there's no place to sit except for the bed. The desk chairs they have are piled high with dirty towels and open duffel bags. I slowly make my way to the bed and sit down, hearing the groan of the mattress beneath me. Edward hops on behind me and starts massaging my shoulders. After hours on a bumpy school bus, his hands feel heavenly, and I moan under his touch. Soon, my arms, back and neck feel like jelly, and I fall backwards onto the bed. Edward takes advantage of this, rolling over to lay down next to me.

He runs his fingers up and down my arm, sending shivers all throughout my body. Edward is near enough that each time he exhales, his warm breath washes over me, sending me spinning. His eyes are shining brightly as he looks at me. I stare right back at him, lost in the shimmering green, with no hint of redness anywhere. Neither of us is talking, but words aren't really needed right now. I can tell with every touch, every look, what he's feeling. I feel it too.

This is it.

We have a room all to ourselves, no parents around or friends to interrupt us. There's no champagne or rose petals or anything outrageous. Just us. I only feel slightly overwhelmed, but mostly in a good way. My body is aching for Edward's touch, and my mind and heart are ready as well. I want all of him so badly. A flash of nerves buzzes through me as I realize this is really going to happen. I glance over to see Edward looking at me curiously. He can tell something is up. I lick my lips, which are suddenly dry, before I speak.

"Remember how I said I was ready?" I ask Edward, as if he could forget.

He gulps and then nods slowly.

"I'm still ready," I say, feeling the heat of my blush flood my cheeks.

My heart is pounding in my chest, and I'm sure if Edward moves any closer he'll be able to feel it. My entire body is trembling in anticipation, and my breath hitches as Edward slowly removes my pants, followed quickly by my undies. I glance down and notice that somehow Edward's pants are off too, and he's only wearing his boxers.

"Are...are you sure, Bella?" he asks, looking up at me.

It's my turn to nod.

"I'm sure. I'm just...excited, and maybe a little nervous, you know? This is kind of a big deal," I explain.

Edward nods in agreement and moves back up to kiss me. His lips meld to my own, and all the nervous thoughts running through my head are silenced as his lips caress mine. His hands start to wander as his tongue parts my lips, and I sigh. Under his gentle touch I can feel his hard peen up against my leg, even through his boxers. I shift around underneath him until we're lined up perfectly. Edward feels what I'm doing and begins to slowly thrust against me.

This might be considered a dry hump, except for the fact that I'm completely naked down there and soaking wet. I'm certain that I'm coating his boxers thoroughly. Edward doesn't seem to care, and continues to move up and down, his peen teasing me with each pass. It feels really good as he goes back and forth, and when he makes contact with my clit, twingles shoot down my legs, curling my toes. I relax more, thinking that this won't be as intense as I've built it up to be in my head.

Edward's mouth moves from my lips to my neck, and he leaves biting kisses in a path up towards my ear. When he pulls my earlobe into his mouth and sucks, my hips thrust up, meeting his. We're positioned in such a way, that his peen actually pokes me right where I want it to be. Edward is sort of, kind of, almost inside me. Sure, he's covered in a thin layer of cotton, but we're still almost having sex. My breathing speeds up at this realization, which causes Edward to pull back.

"You okay?" he asks, checking in.

"Mmhmm," I answer.

Edward settles himself back between my thighs and continues to grind up against me, but this time makes sure not to slip in without warning. Then, all of a sudden, he slumps down against my shoulder, growling out.

"Shit!"

_Oh no._ Did he jizz in his boxers again? This could become quite the problem. I'm fearful if this is the case, because he was kind of hard on himself last time.

"It's...it's fine," I whisper reassuringly, and Edward looks up at me, his eyebrow cocked.

"What is?" he asks

"Um...that," I say, with a wave of my hand towards his boxers.

"What? Oh!" he says, realization dawning on his face. "You thought that I...did that...again? Oh, no. I'm good. I'm, uh...cool, with uh...that."

He looks a bit sheepish as he says that, and I wonder if he employed Jasper's method of lasting longer before I came over. Doing my best not to let that thought distract me, I ask him what he meant.

"No condom," he explains with a frown.

Shit is right.

"You don't have any?" I ask, wondering why he didn't think to bring any.

"No," he says, and I can tell he's mentally slapping himself. "Oh! Wait a sec!"

With no other words, he dashes off to the room's bathroom, and I hear him rifling through the drawers. A few seconds later he returns triumphantly, holding up a strip of black squares in his hand.

"Where did those come from?" I ask, pushing myself to sit up.

"Um, uh...You don't want to know," Edward says as he tries to kiss me.

I pull back, because I'm pretty sure I want to know where the condom I'm about to use came from. I arch my eyebrow in question, prompting Edward to answer. He mumbles something, and I have to strain myself to hear.

"Marcus?" I shriek, making sure I heard him correctly.

"Yeah," Edward replies with a shrug.

"That's just...ugh," I shudder, and Edward nods in agreement.

"Can we...can we not think about that?" he asks as he climbs back onto the bed.

"No problem."

And I mean it.

Thankfully, it's not hard to forget about Marcus once Edward starts touching me again.

"Mmm..." I sigh as his body covers mine again and his hands travel up and down my legs, caressing them sweetly.

Edward's fingers trail down, and he spreads my legs open wider, stroking me softly. My body responds to his touch, shivering slightly as his fingers plunge inside. He works his usual magic, and soon I'm panting, wanting him to do something, anything to send me over the edge. But instead of giving me more, he pulls out. Grabbing one of the condoms, Edward tears it open and sits back on his heels, rolling it down on himself. It's pretty hot watching him touch himself, but I gulp, realizing that he'll be inside me soon.

Laying back over me once the condom is securely on, Edward's lips find mine. We kiss, and I'm grateful that he doesn't try to just do it right away. Instead, he focuses on my lips and my cheeks and my neck before I can feel his peen right _there_. It feels a little slimy, but I guess the condom has some type of lube on it. He slowly starts to push his way in, and it feels okay. It doesn't really hurt, but it also doesn't feel amazing, like when his fingers are there.

I let out a breath, and whisper, "More..." letting him know that he can keep going.

So he does, and as he pushes further in, I feel a burning pain rip through me. It starts at the bottom of my vag, and radiates all around as Edward not only fills but stretches me. Tears sting at the corners of my eyes as he continues to push forward, and I choke out a gasp, as the burning goes up a notch.

"Are...are you all the way in?" I ask through clenched teeth.

Edward looks down and then back at me, shaking his head.

"No. I'm only about halfway in. Is it too much?"

_Fuck._ Only half way in? That's not good. I shake my head and encourage him to keep going. I figure once he's in the pain has to subside and I'll be fine. And...I'm right, for the most part. The pain eventually dies down, but instead of a fabulous, mind-blowing orgasm accompanied by rainbows and unicorns, I just feel...numb.  
_  
Did Edward break me?_

The thought sounds ridiculous even in my own head, so I'm sure it's just a momentary thing. Edward starts to move inside me and still...no twingles. I can feel him go in and out, but I'm not understanding what the big deal is. Maybe Edward didn't break me. Maybe I'm already broken.

I contemplate this as Edward continues to thrust into me, his face turning red as sweat drips down his forehead into his eyes. It doesn't seem to bother him and soon he starts shouting out my name, interspersed with a few "Oh! Fuck!"s for good measure. Watching him move above me is surreal. I can feel his arms encasing my body and the way his hips slap against mine with each thrust. The heat in his eyes makes me shiver and I smile, watching him lose himself above me. As Edward bends his head down, his lips sucking hard on the spot where my neck meets my shoulders, I moan. Feeling him mark me in more ways then one is amazing and I can't believe we're actually doing this. His hand snakes down between us and I can feel him nudge my clit. He rubs it slightly and that feels good, so I sigh. It's nowhere near the twingles I normally get, but I'm glad to know I'm not totally messed up.

A few more thrusts later and I feel Edward still inside of me as he shouts out my name, followed by a deep groan. Then, he collapses down on top of me. I smile, doing a little internal happy dance that I was able to get him off in that way. But, it doesn't last long because Edward's hot and sweaty, and it's not the most enjoyable feeling right now. I wiggle a bit underneath him, and he gets the hint. He rolls off me, kissing me on the mouth before he flops down on his back. It feels funny between my legs where he just was. I have a super urgent need to pee, so I make a dash to the bathroom, grabbing my underwear as I go.

While I pee, I feel a slight burn, but otherwise I seem okay. There's a spot of pink when I wipe, and I only have a minor freakout over that. After I wipe a few times it goes away, though, so I calm down. As I walk back, I can tell that I might be sore later on, though. When I return to the bed, Edward is under the covers, and I slide in next to him. He pulls me to his chest, and I rest my head on it, able to hear his rapidly pounding heart through his skin.

"So that was..." I start to say, not even sure how to finish it. It wasn't mindblowingly awesome or incredibly sexy. But it was...right.

"Yeah."

I wonder how Edward finishes that sentence in _his_ head.

"Holy shit," I say, startled by a realization.

"What's wrong?" Edward asks, pulling back to look at me with concern.

"No, nothing's wrong," I reassure him. "I just realized...I'm no longer a virgin. That just feels so...big."

"That's what she said," Edward jokes with a snort, and I roll my eyes.

"Ha ha. Very funny. But you know what I mean, right?" I ask, wanting to make sure I'm not being a total dork.

"I do. Your cherry is officially popped. And you're right. It's a big deal," he says, and then is quiet for a minute before speaking again. "Hopefully I...uh...made it worthwhile."

I tilt my head to look at him, and his cheeks are flushed. After all that, I can't believe he's worried it wasn't good enough. Although, I guess I wasn't screaming out all porno-like during the actual act.

"It was good. Great, even!" I add quickly, and his face brightens up. "I can't wait to do it again."

Edward's eyes bug out a little, and then he shakes his head with a laugh, holding me close.

"Me neither," he says, sounding excited. "And now we get to try out all sorts of different positions..."

I hadn't even thought of that. But now, that's all I can think of. As we lay there quietly, snapshots of Edward and me in various positions run through my head. I think I remember Alice telling me something about cowgirls or cowboys or something...

"I think I want to be on top, would that be okay?" I ask timidly.

"Would that be okay?" Edward echoes me with a snort. He hugs me even tighter.

"That would be more than okay. I love you, you know," he says as he presses a kiss to my head.

"I know," I say with a grin. "I love you, too."

We don't talk much more, and I find myself completely exhausted. I yawn, and try not to fall asleep, but the pull is too hard. I wake with a jolt a few hours later, realizing where I am. Edward is still next to me, snoring away, and it takes me a couple minutes to wake him up.

"Bella..." he sighs, just before I finally am able to get him fully awake.

"I should sneak back before morning," I say with a frown.

Edward kisses my sad face away, and after a few more kisses he's fully awake and we're making out. Edward's still naked and I'm only wearing my undies, so when I roll on top of him, I can feel him, hard and pulsing, beneath me. His peen makes direct contact with my clit, sending shockwaves throughout my body.

_Yes!_

I internally fistpump at the sensation, realizing that I'm totally fine. Edward must have just fucked me numb earlier. That can happen...right? I know I'll be spending a good portion of tomorrow texting with Alice, getting her opinion, and I'm super glad that I'm no longer mad at her. Edward's fingers slip down my body and into me and despite feeling a little sore, it actually is wonderful. I'm elated that I'm not defective and that Edward can still make me feel all hot and bothered. Maybe I just need to get used to his coke can cock. I snicker at the term, knowing I would never say it aloud.

I reach blindly for Edward's peen, wanting to help him out as well, and start stroking him in time to the rhythm he's using on me.

"Want to go again?" he asks, nodding towards the condoms.

"Not right now," I say. "I'm a little sore from before."

He nods his head in understanding, and slithers down my body, adding his tongue to the mix. Soon, I'm crying out in bliss, clenching around his fingers. Edward grins as he slides back up, and I smile weakly at him, not even having the energy to finish the handjob I had started.

"That was delicious," I tell him, and his grin turns into a cocky smirk.

My fingers make lazy circles on his thigh as I regroup in order to complete what I started before. Just as I wrap my fingers around his peen, there's a knock on the door, followed by Marcus' voice.

"You fools decent? Because I'm coming in in ten seconds."

"Motherfucker!" growls Edward.

I yelp, leaping up to grab my undies that Edward had ripped from me only minutes before, and toss him his boxers that are crumpled in a ball on the floor.

"Wait one second!" I scream, hoping Marcus hears me as I stumble and nearly fall down on my ass in an attempt to pull my undies on.

"I'm giving you till the count of ten to get your act together, then I'm busting in, naked or not!" he shouts back, and I've never wanted to kill another human being more.

"Ten!"

I finally untwist my undies and pull them up over my ass. Edward remains in bed under the covers, trying his best not to laugh.

"Nine!"

I look around frantically for my shirt and finally spot it near the bedside table.

"Eight!"

Pulling it over my head, I realize too late that I forgot to put my bra back on, but I don't even care. At this rate, going braless will just have to do.

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

I'm running around trying to find my pants and end up spotting them in a ball by the foot of the bed. I sit down and attempt to pull them up quickly.

"Four!"

Of course these are my skinny jeans, and with my skin all slick and sweaty, I'm having a hell of a time pulling them back on.

"Three!"

I stand up and wiggle my ass in an attempt to slide these pants on.

"Two!"

I swear I hear Edward snort and turn around just in time to see him dangling my bra between his fingers. I snatch it up quickly and stuff it in my pocket.

"One!"

I get my pants zipped up just as Marcus opens the door, thankfully. I lean over the bed and give Edward a quick kiss before stalking past Marcus.

"Love you, Bella," Edward calls out from his cozy spot under the covers.

"Love you too. See you in the morning."

I scowl at Marcus before booking out of there and tip toeing to my room. I have no idea what to expect when I make it back. I didn't really take in Marcus' appearance, because I was too pissed at his intrusion. I give a gentle knock before letting myself in with the room key. I do a quick sweep of the place and let out my breath. My bed looks untouched, thankfully. Dee's looks a little messy, but the covers aren't pulled back all the way, and it's not like there's a handful of condom wrappers everywhere. The bathroom door is shut, so I figure Dee's in there. I find my pajamas and pull them on super fast while Dee's still doing her business.

I sit on my bed, waiting for her to come out. As I sit down, I wince at the slightly raw feeling down below. It's not painful really, just a bit sore. It was well worth experiencing that first with Edward. Dee comes out a few minutes later, wearing pajamas and grinning goofily. She must notice my matching smile as she hops into her bed.

"Good night?" she asks.

"Mmm..." I sigh, my cheeks hurting from smiling so hard . "You?"

"Oh yes!" she exclaims as she crawls into her bed. "Marcus is...Marcus is just amazing."

Dee also mumbles something else as I walk past her to go brush my teeth, and I just make it out.

"And the rumors were true...his dick is ginormous!"

I gag, glad that I don't have anything in my mouth.

_What. The. Fuck?_

I really don't need to know the size of Marcus' apparently Guinness record-breaking peen. Regardless, nothing is going to distract me from my memories of last night. I close the door to the bathroom, and lean against it, sliding down to sit on the cool tile of the bathroom. I close my eyes, and immediately I'm thinking about what just happened. A warm feeling courses through my body as I recall everything that happened. I can feel an echo of the pulsing I felt down there, and it totally makes up for the soreness I still feel. I sigh, knowing it will only get better. I pull my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them, giggling.  
_  
I totally did it with Edward Cullen.

* * *

_

**A/N:** Mmm...So how was that for_ you_? *grins*

Fingers crossed for a new chapter up next Friday. I'm still getting back into the swing of things, so we'll see. I'll tweet teasers/posting status on Twitter if you follow me there.

In the meantime - the slashy fic I co-wrote with my fichubs, Twiboy, will be up for judging in the In The Closet Contest on contest is anon, so I can't tell you which is ours, just that we're in the m/m category. If slash is your thang, there are a lot of fabulous entries - go check them out: **http:/www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/u/2424392/intheclosetcontest**


	26. Apatow & a Subway Sammy

**A/N:** Just so you all know, I posted two outtakes in the companion piece - **The Director's Cut **- last week. You can find the link in my profile. The 1st outtake is an AU of what would have happened had the gang stayed at Lucky Cheng's, and the 2nd gives some insight into what went down between Dee & Marcus while Edward and Bella were otherwise occupied.

Thanks so much to everyone who is reading along...we're almost at the end - only a couple chapters left after this one.

Big thanks to my beta Char for loving me despite my comma fail and to my prereaders - the WonderTwin H00rs Gin & Caren - they crack me up and make me want to nom them, all at once.

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I just enjoy getting them high._

* * *

"Has it gotten any better?" Alice yells as she tosses another dress over the door.

"For fuck's sake Alice, stop talking so loudly about my..." I lower my voice to a whisper. "...sex life."

"Your what?" she asks, clearly messing with me. "I don't think I heard you right. Your SEX LIFE?"

The last part is shouted rather than spoken, and when I peek my head out of the changing room to give her my best bitch brow, I see an older looking lady clucking her tongue and shaking her head. Alice just laughs and keeps talking.

"Just be glad you have one and aren't some shriveled up cat lady or the forty year old virgin or whatevs."

I pinch her upper arm, and she shrieks, leaving me somewhat vindicated. I slam the changing room door before Alice is able to retaliate. It's not that I'm super embarrassed talking about sex, it's just that I'm still in the swoony, I can't believe we did it phase, and I want to hold on to that feeling for a bit longer. Edward and I have done it three more times, and each time has definitely been different than the first. The second time we did it, it still felt sort of numb, so when Edward added his fingers to the mix and got me all revved up, I was actually able to have an orgasm with him inside of me. He wore a stupid grin the rest of the day.

We had sex for the third time at his house while his parents were away for the day at some charity golf game or something. Edward wanted to try to do it from behind, and I thought that sounded interesting, but after he almost stuck it up my ass accidentally, we opted for me being on top. He seemed to enjoy a bunch anyway, so I didn't feel all that bad.

The last time we did it, I was underneath and somehow ended up getting a leg cramp, like a really bad one. I think it was a charlie horse or something, but all I know is that my leg was on fire, and I started kicking it all spastic like. Edward started laughing at me, and that pretty much ruined the mood. So, I guess we've really only had sex three and a half times.

I sigh, wondering what the next time will bring, but Alice's voice brings me out of my head, as she instructs me to "get on with it already!" I look at the latest form of torture...I mean dress, in my hands. I already have a headache from all the noxious perfumes they spray in this department store and from trying on a zillion dresses so far. Alice is relentless, promising that we will not leave this store until we find _the dress_. Alice is all set, of course. She designed and whipped up what will no doubt be a fabulous dress, and she has already apologized numerous times that she doesn't have time to make me one. Dragging me all around the mall is her way of making it up to me.

Alice has my list of "Hell no!" dresses that I will not endure, and she's committed it to memory. I refuse to wear big bows, bright pink and weird cut outs. I have faith, however, that Alice will help me find something. I just hate that's it's already been four hours and we haven't found it yet.

"Alllllllllice," I whine, before flopping down into a nest of crinoline, satin and lace. "I'm never going to find a damn dress."

I toss back over the plum colored dress she's given me without even looking at it. The fact that it's floor length won't fly with me. I already have a hard enough time walking in heels. I don't need a long gown tripping me up even worse.

"Just one more," she calls and knocks on the door instead of tossing the dress over.

I huff but eventually get off my ass and unlock the dressing room door for her. She thrusts a dress into my hands with a wink.

"Trust me," she says, and I shrug, closing the door.

I look at the dress on the hanger, appraising it. It's a striking midnight blue satin material, and the top is cut in a halter style. There is some black crinoline peeking out from the bottom, and my lips twist at the sight, but I try the dress on anyway. Surprisingly, the crinoline isn't too scratchy, and I realize that there's some sort of lining on the inside. Yet, it does a nice job of poofing up the skirt. I spin around in the mirror and love how the cut of the back shows off my shoulders. The color looks beautiful, and the fit is perfect. I do a few silly dance moves to see how easy it is to move around in it and marvel at how comfy the dress seems to be as well.

The sound of applause breaks me from my dancing, and I look up to see Alice perched over the top of the dressing room, peering in.

"What the eff, you perv?" I ask, not really angry, but sort of embarrassed she caught me dancing like a spaz to the music in my head.

"You were taking too long, and I knew this was the dress, so I wanted to see it on you. And I was right!" she continues, not bothering to wait for my response. "You look phenomenal!"

I look back at myself in the mirror and using a scrunchy, pile my hair on the top of my head.

"Yes!" squeals Alice. "An up do will be perfect with this dress. It's retro but not too dated. You can wear a pair of black strappy heels. It's perfect!"

I grin, Alice's excitement spreading quickly to me. I glance down at the price tag before getting too worked up over the dress and am relieved to see it's still within my budget. I carefully peel it off and get dressed, rushing out to buy it. Alice and I are talking make up and accessories as the saleslady rings me up, and I see somebody out of the corner of my eye waving their hand.

"Hey, Bella!"

I turn towards the direction the voice comes from and notice Dee standing with a pile of dresses in her arms. Marcus is nearby, looking mildly disgruntled, which isn't really much of a change from the norm. I nudge Alice, nodding over to the two of them. I had told her all about Dee and how sweet and awesome she is. More importantly, I told her all about how she somehow managed to nab the affections of Marcus, which both Alice and I found a bit strange. But, everyone has their own tastes, so we let it go.

"Hey, Dee!" I call out, and then motion for her to wait one sec while I get my dress all bagged up.

As I wait for Alice to ring up some bangle bracelets that she "just had to have," I see Dee and Marcus with their foreheads together, deep in conversation. They don't look like they're arguing really, but it does look sort of heated. Trouble in paradise already? I strain my ears to try and hear what they're saying, but they're being awfully quiet. Once Alice is set, we walk over, and they both seem fine, so I shrug it off.

"Hey, Bella!" Dee repeats and tries to give me an awkward hug with her arms full of clothes.

"Hey, Dee, Marcus. Dee, this is Alice, Jasper's girlfriend."

The two exchange pleasantries, and Alice starts talking to Dee about what the dresses she's been trying on. Marcus and I end up on the sidelines, since I am so over discussing dresses, and he looks about as comfortable as a bull in a china shop.

"So..." I trail off, trying to come up with something to say. "Oh. It's really cool of your folks to get us all a limo for prom."

And I mean it. Instead of all of us pitching in for a regular old limo, Marcus' parents are footing the bill for some Hummer limo monstrosity . I think it's going to be pretty awesome.

"Yeah," he says with a shrug. "I think they're just really happy I'm going to prom with a girl. I mean...girlfriend," he adds quickly.

I smile, not sure what to make of that. Thankfully, Alice and Dee are finished talking, and I use that moment to make our exit.

"Good luck with dress shopping, Dee! I think we're gonna go grab something to eat now. See you in school."

I wave as I grab Alice's arm and drag her away. She shouts out goodbyes as we leave the store and head into the depths of the mall.

"I like that girl," says Alice approvingly. "She's spunky."

I smile, loving how easily Alice welcomes new people into our group. It's true though. Dee really is sweet, and it's hard not to like her...once you get to know her.

Alice and I end up walking arm and arm to the food court where we try to decide what we want. Both deciding we're pretty hungry, we hop into line for a Subway sandwich. Once we have our food and some Mountain Dews we find a booth and sit down. The first few minutes are relatively silent while we stuff our faces, but once we're somewhat full, we slow down and start talking again.

I take a bug gulp of soda while Alice starts in on her new favorite subject: sex. Ever since I told her that Edward and I did it, she wants to know everything, and in return she shares everything, whether or not I've asked.

"So, Jasper and I tried something new the other day," she says. "It's called 'Pirate's Bounty,' and it's grrrrrrrrreat!"

I know I will regret asking this, but I can't seem to stop myself.

"What...what is it?"

Alice then goes into a five minute long detailed description of what's apparently a "super fuckhot position." I listen, completely awed that they even knew how to do this, let alone that it has a name. And then, because I'm a glutton for punishment, I ask her another question.

"Do you guys just know these things? Or like, did you see it in a...porno?" my voice drops to a whisper at the last word.

"Oh, no. We don't really watch porn together. We found it on a website though...Oh, hold on..."

Alice grabs her iPhone and starts fiddling with it, frowning when she's not getting what she wants.

"Damn it," she grumbles. "You can't see shit on this tiny screen. Let's go back to your place, and I'll show you on your laptop. We need to get back soon anyways, so you can hang up your dress!"

Alice has a way of making things seem easy and totally normal, so I nod, despite not having a clue what I'm getting myself into. Twenty minutes later, I find us draining the last of our Mountain Dews while she loads some website onto my computer.

"This isn't porn, is it?" I ask nervously, not really up for another session of 'Porn With Alice.'

"Not really..." she says, but I'm not convinced. "Basically you just scroll through and click on different positions and they, um, show you how to do it, and there's a little explanation."

"They...show you?" I ask, trying to clarify. "But...it's _not_ porn?"

"Well, it's not really people, but it is, kind of. Here," she says, grabbing the mouse and clicking on something called 'See-Saw.'

My eyes widen as I take in the screen in front of me. It's an animated picture of a man and a woman having sex. The guy's on the bottom and the girl is straddling him facing forward. They're...moving. Back and forth, back and forth...it's rather hypnotizing.

"Wow," I blurt out, unable to keep my eyes off the screen. "That's just..."

"Yeah!" Alice agrees readily. "Oh! You need to check some of these other ones out. They're absolutely ridiculous."

Alice clicks on a link deemed "69 Family," and I'm suddenly looking at thumbnails of a ton of various sixty-nine positions. I pretty much figured there was only one good way to do it if you don't want to choke on peen, but apparently I'm mistaken. She clicks on one called "YMCA," and I'm simultaneously cringing and sort of aroused. I can't believe I might be getting turned on by cartoon characters doing it for fuck's sake.

This position looks intense, but it also looks like a broken neck waiting to happen. The guy is sitting on the floor with the girl doing a handstand right in front of him, her vag lining up right with his face. He's going to town on her cartoon muff while she somehow manages to give him a blowjob without passing out from the head rush. The benefits to not being real, I guess. I can't imagine actual people performing this for all that long.

Before I'm done really appreciating the intricacies of this position, Alice clicks away, choosing another position to gawk over. This one, called "pile driver," causes me to scratch my head. I am having a hard time trying to figure out how you would even get into this position. I'm not even sure if I'm flexible enough to try it, and I don't think I even want to attempt it. Yet, I still can't look away. I'm so completely captivated by the gyrating cartoon couple on the screen that I don't realize my phone is ringing until Alice answers.

"Hello? Oh, hey Edward," she says with a giggle.

That gets my attention, and I lunge towards her, trying to rip my phone from her before she says something we'll both regret.

"Huh?" Alice continues, like she's having a normal conversation with Edward and not dodging my attempts. "Nothing really. We're just...studying."

With that she dissolves into laughter and finally passes me my phone.

"Studying?" asks Edward, and I mumble something in the affirmative.

"What are you up to?" I ask, and almost immediately get a response, though not verbally.

I hear the familiar hiss of a lighter follow by a loud inhale and then an "ahhhhhhhhhhhhh" of an exhale.

"Never mind," I say with a giggle. "I think I have an idea.

"So, what are you and Alice..." Edward pauses to cough for a few seconds. "...really doing?"

There is absolutely no way in hell I'm telling him what we're actually up to, so I wrack my brain for a plausible answer, since he doesn't seem to be buying the studying response. I'm about to tell him that we're just gonna toss in a chick flick or something when Alice shrieks from in front of the computer.

"Jellyfish! Holy crap, Bella! You need to come see this one!"

"Oh fuck," I grumble, but Edward doesn't really seem to hear me as I hear the sucking pull of a pipe over the phone again. He coughs out the smoke before talking again.

"Huh? What was that?" he asks, and he sounds totally stoned. I cross my fingers and toes he won't remember this conversation tomorrow.

"What?" I echo, hoping he's disoriented enough not to notice.

"I have no idea," laughs Edward, and I think I'm safe. "Oh! Aro just busted out a new game! I gotta run, B. Love ya!"

Before I'm able to even answer, the phone goes dead, and I roll my eyes.

_Boys._

I'm not even able to think about Edward much longer, because before I know it, Alice is pulling me back to the computer to show me a section entitled "Butterfly Family."

It's going to be a long afternoon...

* * *

**A/N:** A shorty of a chapter, I know. But...prom is next and it's going to be a long one, so I figured I'd split it up a bit. In the mean time, check out those outtakes and if you're still jonesing for something more, head on over to:** http:/www(DOT)sexinfo101(DOT)com/sp_index(DOT)shtml** to see exactly what Bella and Alice were looking at. Um, clearly NSFW. Also...my beta, prereaders and I are curious to see if anybody has attempted the YMCA pose (b/c we're h00rs like that... but not *that* crazy to try it ourselves).


	27. Allen & Twizzlers

**A/N:** So, it's prom time...hope you guys enjoy. Thanks to everyone who has been reading along!

Smooshyhugs of thanks to my beta, Char - I have no clue how she sticks with me since I am super comma fail. Bewbgropes and thanks to Caren for prereading this chappy. I was too excited to wait for Gin, but I'll give her a bewbgrope anyway. love you ladies xo

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high._

* * *

I look at the reflection staring back at me and almost don't recognize it. Alice and I spent all afternoon getting "beautified" - her word. After a relaxing hour of manis and pedis, I sat in a chair and let some girl tug and twist at my hair for what felt like forever. I could feel millions of pokey bobby pins stick my scalp while sticky, stinky mists of hair spray rained down on me. Finally, when I felt it was safe to look, I was awestruck by my hair. It was actually super nice.

Then Alice came back here and helped me with my make up before going back to her place to get dressed. I slipped into my dress, and then just stared at myself in the mirror. I can't stop staring; I look so...grown up. My dress fits me like a glove, and the hair matches it perfectly. A knock at my bedroom door pulls me out of my pretty-pretty princess moment and I call out for whoever it is to come in.

The door opens and Charlie is standing there, staring at me. My hand instinctively moves up to my face to see if I have a hanging booger or something because he's not saying anything, just looking at me.

"What?" I finally ask after almost a minute of near silence.

"Nothing," he answers, finally coming into my room. "Just...you look beautiful, Bells."

There's a faint pinkness to Charlie's cheeks, and if I didn't know any better, I'd swear he's blushing. Rolling my eyes, I turn back to the mirror, holding up different necklaces to see which one I want to wear.

"Um," Charlie murmurs and then coughs to clear his throat. "I, uh, got you something."

He holds out a long, thin box wrapped in newspaper. I take it from him and open it to find a beautiful silver chain with a small charm of a bird dangling from the bottom.

"It's beautiful," I say and hand it to him, before offering up my neck so he can put it on.

Charlie smiles and looks a bit relieved.

"Yeah?" he asks while fastening the clasp.

"Perfect," I say with a smile. My hand comes up to the necklace as I look at myself in the mirror. And it is...perfect.

I grab my small purse and check to make sure I have everything.

_Extra lipstick._

_Camera._

_Phone._

_Mints._

_Lighter._

I'm good to go. I snap my purse shut before Charlie can get a look inside and grab my backpack stuffed with after-prom necessities. Our school puts on a post-prom party in the school's gym, and that might be where Charlie thinks I'm headed after the dance. Instead, we're all going to spend the night at the Hood. I notice the time as I'm tossing in a heavy sweatshirt and motion to Charlie before he can ask any questions.

"We need to get going!"

I let Charlie lead, and soon we're in his cruiser headed to Marcus' house. Since Marcus' parents are footing the bill for the limo, we all decided to meet up at his place for pictures. When I get there it looks like pretty much everyone has arrived. Alice and Jasper are talking with his parents, and I see Dee over in the corner, looking utterly uncomfortable talking to Marcus' folks. I crane my neck, looking in every direction for Edward, and frown when I can't see him. I clutch the boutonniere I have in my hand for him, careful not to crush it. Climbing out of the car, I turn around in time to see a car pull in behind us.

Edward steps out of the back seat looking absolutely delectable. His eyes are bright and shining, and his hair is twisted in all sorts of directions, despite having some product worked in there. He looks incredibly dashing in a tux, like my own personal James Bond. That is...until I scan him fully and notice his feet. Apparently Edward thinks it's perfectly acceptable to wear Birkenstocks to our senior prom. Charlie must notice Edward's choice of footwear at the same time I do, and he snorts.

"Couldn't afford a decent pair of shoes there, Edward?"

I shove Charlie, hoping he'll shut up, but Carlisle comes over and only makes it worse.

"You're telling me," he says with a shake of his head. "Had to go and ruin a perfectly good suit with those ratty things. Kids these days..."

My father agrees, and soon the two of them are discussing the atrocity that is teen fashion. I can't seem to roll my eyes hard enough, so when Edward steps over, I take the opportunity to walk towards him.

"Bella...You look gorgeous."

I feel my cheeks heat up, and I kind of duck my head, not used to being all dolled up like this. I remember that I'm carrying his boutonniere, so I hold it up to show him before handing it over. Edward plucks it out, and I help pin it to his tux, and I can hear somebody in the background snapping pictures. It's a deep purple orchid, and it looks great against the inky darkness of his suit. Edward holds out a corsage with the same type of flower and a few more embellishments. He helps it over my hand, and I wonder if his fingers can feel how quickly my pulse is racing when he skims my wrist. When he's done, he continues to hold onto my fingers, and stares me in the eyes. I step closer to him, inhaling the familiar scent of spicy boy and mint.

"You look beautiful, too," I say, then snort nervously, realizing how silly I sound.

"Thanks," says Edward, and I love him for the fact he doesn't make fun of me.

We stand there staring at each other, goofy smiles passing over both of our lips. Finally, we're broken out of our trance by a flashing bulb as Esme starts snapping pictures.

"Edward, don't be shy," Esme instructs. "Put your arm around Bella. There..."

She snaps a few more, and then I remember to hand Charlie my camera and pray that he actually gets a few good ones. We pose for a few more pictures before it's time for some group shots. I make sure to have Charlie take a few of me and Alice before it's time to go, and then I'm giving him a hug while trying not to roll my eyes at his attempt at parenting.

"Be good and don't drink and make sure Edward isn't too handsy," he warns.

I step up on my tip toes and give him a kiss, promising I'll behave, which I'll mostly adhere to. The parents all hang around while we pile into the limo, which is a ridiculously huge monster of a thing. It looks like a tank from the outside, but the inside is absolutely crazy. The seats are gray leather and set up in a zig zag fashion with a black bar against one side of the car.

"Aw man," grumbles Jasper as he looks over the bar. "They took all the alcohol out!"

"No shit, Sherlock," remarks Marcus as he squeezes by Jasper, flicking him upside the head. "You really think my parents are idiots?"

Jasper looks like he wants to respond, but ends up settling for a "watch the hair, asshole," as he smooths over whatever Marcus may have messed up. Aro and Sully climb in, and as they make their way to some seats, Aro spots a jar of candy on the bar.

"Woohoo! Twizzlers!" he shouts, grabbing a handful.

"Leave some for the rest of us, you douche," snarks Edward, and Aro flings a couple right at his face.

"Happy?" Aro asks with a smirk.

"Ecstatic," replies Edward.

"These guys are ridiculous," Alice says as she carefully sits down next to me. "They're lucky we love them."

I look over at Edward, who's currently heavily engaged in a Twizzler sword fight with Jasper.

"Totally lucky," I agree.

Finally, everyone is all settled in, and the driver lets us know he's ready to go after a short speech about "no funny business." We barely manage not to laugh, and I notice a few eye rolls, but the guy seems pretty chill and finally heads up front to get going. Marcus presses a button, and with a whir of noise, a huge skylight opens up at the top of the car. The guys immediately run and all smoosh in there, waving bye to the all the parents who are seeing us off. Finally, when we hit the main road, they come back down, and Marcus closes the skylight back up.

"Pre-party?" asks Aro as he pulls a bottle of tequila out of Sully's Hello Kitty purse.

I shoot Alice a sideways glance, and her hand immediately flies up to her mouth, shaking her head no. I stifle a giggle and shake my head as well. Tequila really isn't my drink of choice. In fact, I almost wish we could have smoked before, but I'm glad we didn't. I don't want red eyes ruining our prom pictures. I figure we'll have plenty of time to party it up at the Hood later. Edward surprises me when he pulls out a couple of mini bottles of alcohol, handing me and Alice each a peach Schnapps.

"Ooh, peach!" exclaims Alice excitedly, as she rips open the cap.

I open my bottle as well and we clink them together.

"Cheers!"

I down half the bottle in one gulp, and despite it tasting sugary sweet and peachy, it still burns slightly going down. I shiver a bit, and Edward puts his arm around me.

"You okay?" he asks, and I can smell the tequila on his breath. He's that close. I take advantage of him being so close and kiss his slightly sticky lips.

"Mmm..." I sigh. "I am now."

Edward grins and then pulls away to grab a few more Twizzlers before he's right back at my side, snuggling me close.

"What happened to the ones you and Jasper were playing swords with?" I ask him with a giggle.

Before he can answer, Jasper leans over Alice and wags his finger in my face.

"For you information, we were not, as you so lamely put it, 'playing swords.' They were light sabers, and we were Jedis."

He sits back in his seat with a huff while Alice rolls her eyes.

"You're right," I tell him with an exaggerated look of apology. "That is _so_ much cooler."

"It totally is," says Edward, and sadly, he's absolutely serious as he gives Jasper a high five.

"So lucky we love them," I whisper to Alice as the boys try to start up another Twizzler light saber duel.

I put a stop to that quickly by grabbing Jasper's Twizzler, much to his chagrin. Thankfully, Alice distracts him by showing him a TV that pops up out of the arm cushion. I start to nibble on my Twizzler and then remember I have the rest of the Schnapps to drink. Before I'm able to get to it though, Edward takes it from my hand.

"What gives?"

"Let me show you something neat," he says and holds his hand out for my Twizzler.

I watch as he bites off the bottom and then shoves the candy into the mini bottle of alcohol.

"Voila!" he says in a horribly fake French accent that makes me want to kiss his lips off. "A candy straw."

I eye it warily but shrug, figuring it can't be all that bad. I take a tentative sip and realize it's awesome. It's an insanely sweet combination of peach and strawberry, and soon I'm making horrible noise, trying to suck up every last drip. Edward watches on with a knowing smile.

"Good, right?"

"Delicious!" I tell him, before I tug out the Twizzler. I lick the bottom to get all the Schnapps taste. I look back at Edward and see that he is now staring at me. I offer him a bite of Twizzler, and he shakes his head. But when I put it back in my mouth, he lunges forward and takes the other end in his, biting slowly until we're nose to nose. Our foreheads clunk together, and I swallow, unable to even bother with the Twizzler which has now fallen out of my mouth. Our of the corner of my eye, I see Edward finish chewing before his lips find mine, and we're kissing.

"Get a room!" somebody shouts, but Edward just holds me closer, instead choosing to flip them the bird as he keeps kissing me. Finally, after his tongue has made a thorough sweep of my mouth, he pulls back, taking my lower lip with him, until the last moment possible.

"You're right," he says quietly, so only I can hear. "Delicious."

As he sits back in his seat, I'm left flushed and wanting and in need of a make-up touch up. Alice comes to my rescue and fixes my face just as we pull into the parking lot. We all pop in a piece or two of gum to cover the alcohol on our breaths, but to be honest, the only thing I can taste in my mouth is Edward. I hate having to cover that up, but I don't want to ruin our fun before it really starts.

Edward helps me out of the limo so I don't stumble. I'm not drunk at all, just feeling a really good buzz, but the combination of my heels and the high step would be lethal to me, even one-hundred percent sober. When we walk in to the banquet facility that's hosting our prom, all of the chaperones and teachers are standing in some sort of reception line. It feels a bit awkward, but as they shake our hands and look directly into our eyes, I can tell they're not just doing it to be polite. Mrs. Cope is there and instead of a handshake she gives me a huge hug and says I look adorable. I can't help but smile back as she tells me to go on in and have a good time.

The place actually looks nice with black and silver decorations and low lighting. A disco ball in the middle of the dance floor gives off a shimmery effect, bathing the room in a sea of sparkles. There are tables with dark red tablecloths situated all throughout the room, and we head over to the table that we reserved when we bought our tickets. All the girls drop off our purses, and then we walk around, saying hi to everyone. Edward doesn't leave my side the entire time. He either has his arm slung around my shoulder or his hand firmly threaded through mine. I don't mind a single bit.

They actually serve us dinner, and it's not half bad. I don't eat much, but watch as the boys not only eat their own meals, but whatever the girls leave on their plates. Finally, after some miniature ice cream sundaes, that I do manage to finish, the DJ starts playing music loudly, encouraging people to come up onto the dance floor. I'm reluctant to do so, not really all that comfortable dancing to begin with, let alone in the heels that I'm wearing.

Edward looks at me and nods towards the dance floor, as I see all of our friends heading in that direction. His hands come up and rub my bare shoulders, and I decide that I want nothing more than to be out there dancing with my friends.

"Just a sec," I tell him, before tugging at my shoes. I kick them off, leaving them under the table, then walk over to the dance floor, shoeless but much more comfortable.

Without heels, I'm much shorter than Edward, but he doesn't seem to care, and soon we're spinning and jumping and dancing like fools to the loud, thumping beats the DJ spins. After a few fast paced songs that leave us short of breath and laughing, a slow song comes on, and Edward holds out his hand to me, as if I would choose anyone else. He pulls me close and then has to hunch down to whisper in my ear.

"Are you having fun?"

I look up at him and nod, grinning like a fool. Edward hugs me tightly then releases me, but only a bit, so we're basically swaying slowly in a loose hug to the music. His hands start trailing up and down my back, making little patterns whenever he lands on bare skin, causing me to shiver. His fingers find their way up to my neck, where my dress is clasped and he toys with the material he finds there, slipping his fingers underneath it and rubbing slowly. He's not doing anything overtly sexual, like the way Lauren Mallory is literally dry humping Mike Newton across from us. But it still sends me reeling, and I wonder how long we're all planning on staying here.

The song is over way too quickly, and then Edward pulls me back to the table where he spies Marcus. He pulls him over to the side and has a few words with him, earning a shrug from Marcus. Aro and Sully come over, and soon Jasper joins them and they seem to be having a meeting of sorts. I wander over to Alice, who's chatting with Dee, and rest my chin on her shoulder.

"Hey babe," she says before going back to her conversation.

I feel a strong pair of arms wrap around my waist, and I squeal as I'm pulled away from Alice. I whip around to see Edward staring at me.

"Ready to go?" he asks.

"Really? Is everyone else ready?"

"Eh, sure. They've had their fill. We want to get back to the Hood for the real party."

Ten minutes later, we've said our goodbyes and are piling back into the limo. Just as we're leaving, Marcus leans over to the bar and hits some button, flooding the entire limo in a black light setting. Neon purple trims the edge of the walls, and the gray seats shimmer in the light. Edward pulls me to a seat all the way in the back and sits me down on his lap as soon as he gets comfortable. Jasper pulls an iPod Nano out of his pocket and plugs it into a base on the wall. Soon the limo is flooded with the sounds of Fatboy Slim and everyone is bouncing up and down or shaking in their seats.

It's dark enough that I don't think anyone else but me notices when Edward slips his hands up my dress and starts caressing my thighs. I jump at his touch and can't help but grind myself up against him in response. I think he might groan, but I have no idea, since the music is so loud. Each time my butt moves up against Edward's rock hard peen, he squeezes my thighs, moving his hands higher and higher until he is so close to where I want them to be. His fingers dip down, and now he's grazing the insides of my thighs, sending shivers down my back. My head lolls backwards, and I close my eyes, pretty sure I'm going to combust at any second.

Edward uses this opportunity to start sucking on my exposed neck, running his teeth up and down my skin and kissing right under my jaw. I'm a complete wreck, and he hasn't even really touched me anywhere naughty yet. I take a deep breath and steel myself until we're able to actually be alone. Five more minutes pass, and we're back at Marcus' place. Everyone scrambles for their cars, with the plan to meet up at Aro's. I grab my backpack that I had left and bring it with me to Edward's car. We're by ourselves, since everyone else has rides, and I take the time to change out of my dress.

Edward can barely keep his eyes on the road as I peel off my undies, and slide on a pair of terry cloth sweatpants. It's late spring, so it shouldn't get too cold out tonight, but you never know. I carefully unzip my dress and shimmy out of it, allowing Edward to get an eyeful of the lacy black strapless bra I'm wearing. The car swerves a bit as Edward's hands hit the steering wheel hard.

"Shit, Bella! You can't just do that!"

"Do what?" I giggle, causing Edward to scowl.

I quickly toss on a tank top and my heavy sweatshirt, covering myself up. Edward grumbles under his breath, and while I don't know what he's saying, I have a feeling he's pretty cranky. I look over and see the crotch of his tux pants all tented and stifle my laugh. I know it's evil of me, but I'm glad he's finally as worked up as I am.

We finally make it to the Hood, and it looks like the gang is already there except for Marcus. We head in, and I see almost everyone has changed out of their formal wear except for Aro. His tux jacket is off, but he's kept on his collared shirt, unbuttoning the top few buttons and rolling up the sleeves. His black suspenders that he was wearing earlier are now hanging around his waist and even with her nerdy black framed glasses, he looks pretty hip. Sully is a lucky lady. Speaking of Sully, she's decked out in Hello Kitty flannel pajamas, her hair in pigtails. They look like an unlikely pair, but as she settles into Aro's lap, it's clear how in love they are.

They're flipping through a huge black case that contains a bunch of DVDs, I guess to pick out something for us to watch. Before I'm able to go weigh in with my opinion, Alice bounds over, decked out head to toe in a huge zebra-print, fleece monstrosity. She catches me staring at her and laughs.

"Do you like it? It's my homemade version of the Snuggie."

She twirls around and shows it off.

"See? It even has pockets!"

She reaches into one of them and pulls out a pack of Twizzlers that she must have snagged from the limo and offers me one.

"Thanks," I say as I bite into it.

Jasper bounds over and grabs Alice from behind, pulling her down onto the couch with him.

"Mmm...my own special blanket," he says, winding Alice around him. "Fucking cozy."

Alice hardly puts up a fuss as Jasper strokes her back and nuzzles her fleece covered boobs.

"Dorks."

I scurry away before either of them are able to retaliate. Edward finally makes his way in, and I wonder where he's been. He's wearing a pair of old navy sweatpants and a faded Grateful Dead t-shirt, so he must have been changing in the car. He's carrying a little drawstring bag and holds it up as he shuts the door.

"Who's ready to really party?" Edward asks with a huge grin.

"Whatcha packing?" Jasper asks, sitting up from under his Alice-blanket. "Anything good?"

"Anything good?" scoffs Edward. "It's prom night, motherfucker. I've got the best. Some White Widow and a little something extra special."

Jasper gently moves Alice off his lap and stands up, so I sit down and cuddle into her warmth. We all look at Edward expectantly, even Aro and Sully. Edward opens his bag and pulls out a tiny plastic bag. It's hard to see what's inside it, but from where I'm sitting it looks like a small nib of chocolate or...poop? Why the hell would Edward have that in a bag?

"What is that?" Alice asks me in a whisper and I shrug my shoulders. Thankfully, we don't have to wait long for an answer.

"Where the fuck did you get some hash?" Aro asks, walking over to Edward and Jasper.

"Hash?" echos Marcus, who apparently has impeccable timing as he walks through the door. "Nice!"

As the boys ooh and ahh over Edward's hash, Sully comes over and sits on the table next to Alice and me.

"I wonder where Dee is," she asks, and I shrug, again having no answer.

"Oh, she's home. I guess her parents wouldn't let her stay out late," replies Alice.

I feel bad for Marcus that Dee couldn't stay, but he seems to be fine, laughing with the guys and slapping Edward on the back all excitedly.

The guys come around to where we're sitting, and Edward packs a bowl with a little weed and a bit of hash. He takes a huge pull before exhaling and sending the bowl around the circle. I lean in to him and whisper in his ear.

"Hey, um...what's hash exactly?"

I hope he doesn't think I'm an idiot, but I don't want to smoke something unfamiliar, so I'll risk sounding like a newb.

"You'll love it, babe," he says, his voice all smokey and tempting. His hand comes up and cups my neck as his thumb makes sweeping passes right below my ear.

"It's still cannabis, just compressed resin. It's fucking awesome. Super mellow high. You'll really love it."

I look at Edward and his reddening eyes that are peeking out from behind heavy lids. His lazy smile is infectious, and I nod.

"Okay."

The bowl makes its way to me, and before I take it Edward peers inside to make sure it's still good. He holds it up to my lips and lights it for me. I inhale, and immediately I can tell the difference. The smoke is not as harsh as normal and has a much more perfumey taste to it. Also, I can feel the high hit me right away. It starts in my face, spreading through my cheeks and forehead, tingling as is moves. I feel a slight pressure in my face all the way down to my lungs where I realize I'm still holding the smoke. I exhale right into Edward's face without meaning to do so. He coughs a bit and chuckles, and I'm glad he doesn't mind.

I feel all sorts of light headed, and it seems like only seconds pass until a fresh bowl is in my hands, and this time I try to light it on my own. I can't get the lighter to stay lit, though, so Edward takes over again. After this toke, I decide I'm more than fine, my head already entering that bubbly sensation. I close my eyes, since the lids feel heavy, and listen to the sounds around me.

Aro says he's going to put on a movie and decides on Woody Allen's _Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex_. I've never seen it, but the title is ridiculously funny, and I can't stop giggling at it. When Edward asks me what's up, I just wave my hand in front of my face to let him know it's nothing, but then the movement of my hand distracts me, and I can't help but laugh at how floppy it looks as I wave it slowly back and forth.

Everyone settles in to watch the movie, and somehow I've been moved so I'm now perched on Edward's lap. He feels so warm and cozy, and when his hands find their way underneath my bulky sweatshirt I don't even jump. They just feel right. He doesn't do anything crazy at first, just slowly moves his hands up and down my sides, warming up his fingers as he goes. Then, after a few passes, his thumbs graze the underside of my boobs, and I moan. I really hope it's not actually as loud as it sounds in my head. I look around, and everyone seems to be absorbed in the movie.

Everyone except Edward. When my head finally cranes to look at him, he's staring at me with a dark, smoldering look in his eyes. I want him. Now. Even with drooping eyelids and red spidery veins clouding the whites of his eyes.

As if hearing my thoughts, Edward stands up with me still attached. He shifts me around so I'm riding him piggy back style. Without even turning around, Edward shouts out.

"We're headed out back. See you guys in the morning."

A chorus of "later!" fills the room, and I ride Edward all the way outside. Once we're in the driveway, I hop off his back and grab his hand. I wonder if we're going to go make out in his car, and I'm absolutely surprised when Edward pulls me towards the back of the Hood. There are a handful of tents already set up, including the one we stayed in at the bonfire. White Christmas lights are strung up throughout the trees, giving off a soft glow all throughout the clearing.

"When did you do this?" I ask, absolutely amazed.

Edward is grinning from ear to ear as he pulls me into the tent. It's all set up with an air mattress and multiple blankets.

"Earlier this morning. We got it all set up before getting ready for the prom. You like?" he asks, and I can't help but nod.

"It's beautiful."

Edward sits down on the air mattress and pulls me down with him. We flop backwards onto it and roll over until we're facing each other.

"You're beautiful," he whispers, as his hand reaches out to stroke my cheek.

The tent is illuminated just enough from the twinkle lights that I can see Edward's face. All I want to do is kiss his lips...so I do. I lean over and run my tongue over his lower lip, which is slightly poutier than his upper lip. When I grasp it between my teeth Edward growls, and I can't help pouncing on top of him, making the air mattress all bouncy.

"It's like a water bed," I say, and Edward laughs.

"Yeah, only it's not."

I go to flick his shoulder, but he catches my hand midway and pulls me right to him, so that there's no space between us. I can feel his heart beating, even through my heavy sweatshirt. I can hear his breath puff out, and I swear I can almost feel his blood coursing through his body.  
_Wow. This shit is good._

I'm starting to feel a little hot and stifled in the tent and lift up to pull my sweatshirt off. After I peel it off, I look down at Edward, only to see him staring right at my boobs. I look down and remember that I'm wearing a black bra under a white tank top.

_Oops._

I might stretch my arms above my head for a bit longer than necessary and watch as Edward almost drools. Next, I take my hands and thread them behind my back, making my chest jut out right into Edward's face. I'm about to congratulate myself on my stealthy seduction techniques when Edward lunges forward and bites my nipple through my shirt and bra.

"Ahhh!" I cry out, thrusting my chest even harder into his face.

Edward gets the hint and begins making out with my boobs. I need more though and do my best to tear my shirt off while he continues his assault on my chest. He doesn't even wait for me to remove my bra. Instead, he opts to just pull it down under my boobs and takes it from there. Everything about this feels heightened. I'm not sure if its the hash or the pot or what, but my skin is exploding with sensation.

Each time Edward's teeth scrape against the sensitive skin of my nipple I arch my back, craving more. When his fingers start snaking down my sides, he leaves a trail of goosebumps in their wake. I need to feel more of him, and we wiggle around, skin slapping, as I try my best to rip his t-shirt off of him. As he pulls it over his head, I feel a cool breeze and shiver, reminding myself that it's going to be chilly tonight. Edward scoots back and goes under the covers, opening them up for me to crawl underneath.

In the next few moments, we both lose our pants, and I'm thrilled to realize he's also going commando. Then, it's as if everything turns slow-mo. We begin kissing and touching and exploring, but it's not needy and fast, rather it's slow and heated. His hands rub up and down my back, sometimes dipping lower to cup my ass. Other times his fingers skim lightly over me but never plunging inside.

My hands seem to have a mind of their own, fixing on random parts of Edward's body - the feel of his coarse arm hair or the contrasting smoothness of the bit of skin on his lower back. I trace circles there for what feels like hours, until the heat of his peen against my legs breaks me from my haze. I shimmy down his body underneath the covers, and despite the darkness, there is no mistaking his dick when it pokes me in the nose. I waste no time in getting it into my mouth, inhaling the musky flavor as I do so. The smooth, silky texture of Edward's skin combined with his salty taste is intoxicating, and I'm barely aware of what he's saying or doing as I move up and down, completely absorbed by the task at hand, or, er...mouth.

I'm broken out of my own little world by Edward tugging on my shoulders, so I pop my head out of the covers to see him sweaty, panting and flushed.

"Everything okay?" I ask, suddenly nervous that I did something wrong.

"Perfect, but...I don't want to blow my load just yet," he replies sheepishly. "And your mouth feels too good."

I blush, the heat in my cheeks prickling, and I duck down a bit, embarrassed.

Edward doesn't seem to notice and ends up flipping me over, his fingers and his mouth both trailing down my body, leaving me quivering. When he finally reaches my vag, I know I must be soaking wet, but I don't have it in me to really care at the moment. Edward grins as he looks up at me and then dives down, licking me like a fat kid goes at an ice cream cone. I'm not really sure what he's doing down there but its a crazy combination of fingers, tongue and sucking, and it's making me fall apart. I'm thrashing all around and at one point begin thrusting into Edward's face.

I've never been this bold before, but something's clicked and I've lost all inhibition. Edward doesn't seem to mind as he moans into me, causing me to thrust harder. He reaches up for my hands and places them on his head, into his soft, messy hair. At first I'm not quite sure what he wants, but then I realize he wants me to basically ride his face. I figure I'm almost there already, so I tug at his hair a bit and push him further into me, and he groans in approval. Soon, my head is spinning and I'm in sensory overload, feeling like I'm going to explode down there and seeing spots behind my closed eyes.

I want him. I need to feel him in me now. I pull his head up and look him straight in the eye.

"Condom?"

Edward nods eagerly and within seconds has a rubber on. I have no clue where it came from, but I'll thank the condom fairy later. Edward wastes no time and plunges inside me, filling me up. He leans down to kiss me, and I can taste a crazy mixture of booze, pot and me swirling on his tongue. It's clear that he's on the edge, and I'm back up there with him, making this my second or third orgasm of the night. I place my hands on his ass and pull him closer, feeling him come so deep that he hits something inside me. I wince a little at the unexpected pain but when he pulls out a bit, we're fine again and soon set a rhythm that works for both of us. I know he's close when he scrunches his eyes up tight and calls out loud, curses streaming from his swollen lips. I'm close behind him, and soon we're both laying flat on our backs, sweating and gasping for breath. I fan at my face, trying to cool down, but another well-timed breeze manages to help me out.

My body finally stops buzzing as my breathing regulates and an overwhelming sense of exhaustion hits me hard. I have just enough sense to pull my pants and tank top back on before curling up next to Edward, kissing him once before claiming my spot on the air mattress for the night.

"Mmm..." I sigh, and that seems to be the most talking I can muster up.

My mind replays the night's events, and I smile, thinking that this was the most kick ass prom night ever. I look over at Edward and watch as he licks his lips, settling in next to me. Staring at him, I can't help but be reminded of what he did earlier and as I drift off to sleep, I can hear myself mumble.

"I wonder if we have any ice cream...I could really go for a cone of mint chocolate chip..."


	28. Parker & Appetizers

**A/N:** *waves* So here we are...graduation, which means one more chapter left (an an epi). Oh, in case you missed it - I posted a StonerwardPOV of prom night over in **The Director's Cut**. You can find it in my profile.

Big massive thanks to my fabulous beta Char - she's the reason this is all coherent. Bewbgropes and spanks to Caren & Gin for prereading this silliness and adding their own to it.

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high._

* * *

"..._It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life_."

"Who the hell is blasting that sappy shit?" gripes Jasper, and we all laugh.

Yeah, that song is definitely overplayed when it comes to end of the year shit for sure. But it's oddly comforting in a weird way. There's something familiar about it, and if I think of the lyrics too much I might just start to get all choked up. And I do not want to cry right now. I shake my head clear and latch on to Edward's arm as we make our way over to Jasper's car.

There's a crazy buzz all throughout the parking lot where everyone is congregated as we wait to head over to the football field. All the parents parked over at the library and are getting shuttled over, but they had the students park in the usual lot so we can just walk over. Most of us actually got here early, however, and it's turned into some sort of graduation tailgating party. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that in a couple of hours I will be a high school graduate. It makes me sound kind of old, I think, but then I know that's stupid since I'm only eighteen. But still...

"Now this is more like it!"

I'm broken out of my musing by Jasper, who starts to blast his own music from his car's jacked up speaker system. Interestingly, Michael Stipe's lyrics are not nearly as nostalgic as Green Day's. But I can't help shouting along with my friends.

"_It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine_..."

Everyone knows the chorus, but when it breaks down to the actual lyrics, everyone's just kind of mumbling away, pretending they know the fast-paced words. Except, of course, for Edward.

Edward is enunciating each one, crystal clear and perfect.

"_Six o'clock - TV hour. Don't get caught in foreign towers. Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn_."

Then, my voice grows louder and I join in with Edward. My words are just as clear as his, causing his eyes to widen in surprise. He shakes his head and grins as he matches me word for word.

"_Locking in, uniforming, book burning, blood letting. Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate. Light a candle, light a votive. Step down, step down. Watch your heel crush, crushed. Uh-oh, this means no fear cavalier. Renegade steer clear! A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies. Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives and I decline_."

As everyone once again raises their voices for the chorus, Edward takes my hand and pulls me into a hug. Snuggling, we shout out the last verse, much to everyone's amusement. Once the song is finally over, I collapse into Edward's arms in a fit of giggles, surprised at myself for having done that.

"Who knew you were such an R.E.M. fan, Bella?" Edward purrs in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Who knew...?" I echo, not really giving him a firm answer.

Thankfully, Jasper's iPod switches to another song, which grabs his attention, and I don't need to talk R.E.M. with him. It's not that I don't dig the band, I do - they're pretty fabulous. But, it's not like I'm their hugest fan. So it might seem strange that I know every single word of that song by heart.

Edward doesn't need to know that when we first started dating I found out he loved that song so fucking hardcore. He would blast it from his iPod, shouting the lyrics as we drove down the street. Edward really doesn't need to know that I may have copied down the lyrics into my French notebook. And Edward certainly doesn't need to know that while the rest of my French class was conjugating verbs, I was studiously memorizing the words to his favorite R.E.M. song while doodling our names in the margin of the paper.

Edward's fingers digging into my side break me from my thoughts. I gasp for breath as I flail about. When I spin around to look at him, he has a cheeky grin on his face as he starts to sing the words to the song blasting from the speakers.

"_I really love your peaches, want to shake your tree_," he croons as his eyebrows waggle, and his hands skim the outer curves of my boobs.

I snort and shake my head, joining in on the chorus as we all cry out, "_I'm a joker, I'm a smoker, I'm a midnight to-o-o-o-oker_!"

Everyone else continues singing as I close my eyes and let the unusually warm sun shine down on me. It sounds like a party all around me, and I bask in the excitement. It actually feels like today is just one big celebration. After graduation, we're invited to some shindig Marcus' parents are throwing in their fancypants backyard. And then...then it's a summer full of hanging at the Hood.

"Bella?"

I look up to see Edward's smiling face.

"Huh?"

"I was calling your name. Where were you?" he asks, a glint of mischief in his eye. I can't help but blush.

"Just thinking about all the partying lined up for after graduation." I shrug. "What's up?"

"We're doing a celebratory shot. Want some?" he asks, and I nod. I plan on graduating sober, but one little shot isn't going to kill me.

Jasper pours out some light red liquid into small paper cups and passes them out. I give it a sniff, and its smells sweet.

"To no longer being another brick in the wall!" shouts Jasper, and we all cheer.

"We don't need no thought control!" Edward calls out with a laugh.

We all hold our paper cups together as we look over at Marcus, who's clearly got a final toast to add.

"How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat?"

We all burst out into giggles and then down our drinks. I lick my lips, glad that it was just vodka and cranberry juice. The boys all have another shot, but I decline, not wanting anything more than my natural lack of coordination making me stumble as I go up on stage to receive my diploma.

It starts to get hot just standing around in our black robes, so I suggest we make our way down to the field since it's getting close to the time we need to be all lined up. It takes a few minutes because the boys keep pretending to flash each other with their robes.

"What the hell are you wearing underneath there, anyway?" I ask, seeing nothing but hairy legs and sandals.

"Nothing," growls Edward as he leers at me.

I smack his arm and demand he shows me. He rolls his eyes and then lifts his robe, showing me a pair of not quite clean cargo shorts and some ratty old t-shirt.

"Your mother must be so proud," I quip.

"Whatever. I'll change into a shirt and tie for the party later. But I'm not going to be sitting out in the sun in stuffy clothes when nobody can see what I'm wearing anyway."

"I guess," I acquiesce, suddenly grumpy that I'm wearing a cute dress that nobody's going to see right now. At least I won't have to stop and change afterward, though.

I look at everyone as we walk down, trying to remember this moment as best as I can, when something hits me.

"Where's Aro?" I ask Edward.

"He had to be down at the field early since he's valedictorian. He gets to sit up front and junk because he's giving a speech."

"Oh, right."

When we reach the field, Edward and I have to separate since our last names put us in different lines. He gives me a quick kiss and then bounds over to where he needs to be, and I hang out in my line, bouncing on the balls of my feet and peering off into the bleachers to see if I can find Charlie.

Soon, the band starts up the cheesy school song, and we're marching out onto the field to sit in super uncomfy metal folding chairs. Finally, the music dies down, and everyone settles into their seats. Our principal makes a speech congratulating us on all of our hard work and achievement, wishing us the best for our future and yadda yadda. I end up zoning out when he compares our future to an orange, urging us to peel off one section at a time. He just made me hungry, not inspired.

Then, they have some big shot lawyer from Seattle speak. He graduated from our high school, and I guess because his face is plastered across city buses, it makes him an ideal candidate to tell us how awesome our futures can be. Not if we're going to end up being sued by him. I've seen his ads. He goes for blood. While the suit drones on and on, I try to catch Edward's eye. It's hard because he's a few rows away and in front of me, and he doesn't turn around often.

Thankfully, Aro is up now, and my boredom is alleviated as he begins to speak. He begins by thanking our teachers and his parents and then starts to talk about..._Pokeman_? The crowd, which has been buzzing with chatter the entire time so far, falls silent as Aro explains how Pokemon works as a metaphor for high school. He holds up an old deck of his, and we all crack up.

Before Aro is able to go on, somebody cries out, "Pikachu!" and I'm almost certain it's Jasper. After everyone calms down a second time, Aro continues his speech, explaining how the quest to become a Pokeman master is just like high school. I'm not super surprised that he's letting his inner dork shine through, and while I don't quite understand all the references, his message is pretty universal.

We all have been struggling to do our best in hopes for the future, even though we have no clue what the hell that might be. Aro's speech sets off a mixture of nerves and excitement that has been brewing all day, and by the time he nears the end, I'm practically buzzing in my seat, ready for the next big thing to come. Aro's pauses, and I can tell he's wrapping things up. He holds back up his deck of Pokeman cards, shaking them.

"And whether you play red, blue, green, yellow, gold, silver, ruby, sapphire, diamond or pearl...remember, inside we're _all_ trying to catch them all."

Everyone goes wild, cheering and shouting for him. A few people toss up streamers, and even a few cans of silly string get used as foamy wisps of pink and green shoot up into the air and flutter down all around us. I dodge them because they are a bitch to get out of your hair. They let us go crazy for a bit, and even if the administration had tried to calm us down, I don't think it would have worked.

Finally, the shouting subsides, and it's time for diplomas to be passed out. I have to wait for pretty much everyone to go first, but watching them walk up and get their diplomas is pretty awesome. When it's Edward's turn, I stand up on a my chair and cheer loudly, and I swear he turns and spots me, smiling wide. It seems to take forever, but we finally make it to the end of the alphabet and I'm close to the stage.

"Isabella Marie Swan."

I rush up to the stage, my robe gathered in my hand, and I somehow manage to make it up there without even tripping. I look out at the crowd, and everyone is cheering and waving and a bunch of camera flashes are going off. I can hear my name being shouted by friends, so I give a quick wave before shaking hands with the principal and receiving my diploma. I rush off stage so the next person can get theirs, and I eagerly open my diploma, excited to check it out...to see the confirmation that I am indeed, a high school graduate.

I open the black leather bound folder and see a piece of paper that says that I will be receiving my actual diploma in two to three weeks.  
_  
What the hell?  
_  
Somebody shoves me from behind, and I realize I still need to go back to my seat. I go, fake diploma in hand, a bit miffed at this falsehood. I know I've still graduated, but the paper seems to make it official, and I now have to wait for that. Maybe that means I can push off real life responsibilities until then...

I shove the fake diploma under my seat and wait as the rest of the class receives theirs. Finally, everyone is accounted for, and our principal gives one more quick speech before congratulating us. Everyone goes crazy, and I have to swerve to avoid getting pummeled by a sea of graduation caps raining from above. I rush out, looking for Edward, but I can't see him in the crowd of people.

Finally I spot him, surrounded by his boys. All of them are smiling and hugging and looking so happy. A pang of hurt hits me as I realize that after this summer, their little crew will be split up. Even though they're all going to be relatively close by to each other, I know it's not going to be the same. I can't help thinking about Edward and me and how the distance is going to affect us.

My sadness only lasts a few seconds, however, because somebody blasts an air horn right by me, freaking me the fuck out. It snaps me out of my funk, and the huge balloon that almost hits me in the face distracts me until I'm back to cheering and shouting with all my classmates. I finally look back over at Edward and see him staring right at me, his lips turned into an impossibly large grin. He winks right at me, and I rush over to him, hugging him and planting kisses all over his face.

"We did it!" I shout, as if there was ever any worry that we might not.

"We did," he agrees, hugging me closer.

Soon, everyone's parents descend on the field, and I see Esme, Carlisle and Charlie head towards us. Esme already has her camera out and is snapping photos. She gets a bunch of Edward and I together and then the whole gang. I ask her to take a few of Charlie and me since I totally spaced and forgot my camera. Eventually, the crowd thins out as everyone goes off to their own celebrations. After one last hug from Edward, I latch on to Charlie's arm and ask if he's ready to go. He nods and tell me he's more than ready and asks if there will be decent food at this party. I assure him that there will be, and we leave, telling everyone we'll see them there.

When Charlie and I finally get to Marcus' house, I'm so glad I didn't have to stop to get changed like Edward. I am famished. My stomach is gurgling in the worst way possible, and I really hope that my promise to Charlie holds up. As soon as we step foot into the backyard, a waiter carrying a tray approaches us. He's got some puff pastry thingies on top, and I wonder how many I can safely take without looking like the world's largest pig. I settle on three and grab them quickly. I do my best to discreetly stuff them in my mouth, and once they're gone I start looking around for more food.

Marcus' parents actually have a sweet little set up back here with a big white tent and a bunch of hot guys walking around with delicious food. Really, it's a nice approximation to what I imagine heaven might be like.

"Stuffed fig?" somebody asks, and I turn around to see a cute guy smiling at me.

He winks as he hands me a napkin and then eyes me up and down.

"Love the dress. Navy does wonders for your skin tone," he remarks.

"Um, thanks?" I respond, probably sounding like a dork, but I've never had a guy say something like that to me before.

"And you know," he continues, dropping his voice to a whisper and leaning in towards me, "If you put your hair up in a messy bun, it would complete the look perfectly."

I stare at him blankly, unsure what to say to that. Instead, I grab another fig off his tray and shove it into my mouth to prevent myself from saying something stupid and try to smile around the food.

He looks at me with a twinkle in his eye and shakes his head, putting his tray down on a nearby garden statue.

"Here, like this!" he chirps as his hands go into my hair and start pulling and tugging, yet it remarkably doesn't hurt. "Hair elastic?"

I rummage around in my purse and finally find one, handing it to him. He stands back and gives me another once over with a critical eye before proclaiming proudly, "I knew it. Perfect!"

I look through my purse again to find a compact, and use the tiny mirror to see what he's done. It really _does_ look good.

"It's adorable! Thanks..." I trail off, realizing I don't know his name.

"Riley," he fills in, and instead of shaking my hand he gives me a quick squeeze. "Glad you like it. I'm actually going to school for hair. I just do this catering thing on the side to make money."

Riley flashes me a quick smile before apologizing that he has to keep moving with the food or else his boss will rip into him. I thank him again and as he walks off with the tray of delicious figs I call out, "Oh, and my name is Bella!"

Riley waves goodbye as he skillfully weaves through the crowd. He seems really sweet, and I hope I get a chance to talk to him later. Before I'm able to find anymore tasty treats, I feel a set of warm arms wrap around me. I breathe a sigh as the scent of mint and tobacco settles around me.

"Hey, Edward..."

"Don't 'Hey Edward' me," he grumbles as he nips at my neck.

"What's wrong?" I ask, placing my hands on his.

"Who were you just talking to? Being all cute and 'Oh hi, I'm Bella! Call me!'" he says in a fake high-pitched voice.

I roll my eyes at his possessiveness and laugh.

"First of all, I do _not_ sound like that. And second of all, that was Riley. He might just be my new best friend," I say with a giggle, causing Edward to tighten his grip on me.

I spin around in his arms and peck his lips.

"Oh, stop it. He just complimented my dress and helped me with my hair. Plus, I'm pretty sure he's gay," I add, letting him off the hook.

I step back from Edward as he glares at Riley, sizing him up. Of course, Riley decides to make his way back here, this time carrying a new tray of appetizers.

"Panko breaded cod cake with roasted red pepper aioli?" he asks, thrusting the tray at me but staring directly at Edward.

In fact, after a second, Riley actually hands me the tray, turning fully to face Edward, and sticks out his hand.

"I don't think we've been introduced," he purrs. "I'm Riley, and you are...?"

Edward just stands there, gaping at Riley, so I toss a cod cake into his mouth and answer for him.

"This is Edward. My _boyfriend_."

I make sure Riley hears that last part, and when he huffs and picks back the tray up, I'm certain that he has.

"Of course he is, Bella. Of course," he says with a snort.

Riley walks away, mumbling loudly under his breath, "All the cute ones are either taken or straight. Damn it."

I bite back a laugh as I look over at Edward. He looks shell shocked, but after a few moments he shakes his head and smirks.

"Looks like you've got some competition, Bella!"

I reach up and pinch his arm and almost get away, but Edward's too fast. He pulls me towards him and starts tickling me, and I writhe against him, gasping for air.

"Stop, stop!" I shout. "Fine! I give up! You win!"

Edward finally stops his tickle torture and I give him a swat on his butt for good measure before stalking off to find more food. Just as I'm helping myself some veggies and dip, Charlie comes by and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

"You okay here, Bells?" he asks, and I nod.

"Yeah, why? Are you taking off?"

"That okay?"

"It's fine," I tell him before giving him a big hug. I'm surprised he lasted this long. "Edward can give me a ride home."

Charlie gives me one last hug and kisses the top of my head.

"I'm proud of you, kid."

"Thanks, Dad."

He leaves before I start getting all weepy, and I take my plate of food over to a table where Alice and Jasper are sitting. Alice gives me a huge hug and congratulates me. She's been done for over a week. In fact, we all showed up to her graduation last weekend. After fawning over my hair, she hops back onto Jasper's lap, and I tell her all about Riley. Edward and Jasper are deep in conversation and aren't paying attention to us as we giggle and wonder how we can snag Riley to do our hair on a weekly basis.

I'm looking through the crowd of people to try and point him out to Alice, but I can't seem to find him. I crane my neck and finally spot him around the side of the house, talking to...Marcus? They seem awfully close, and my jaw drops when I see Riley's hand shoot out to move a stray hair from Marcus' face. His hand lingers on Marcus' cheek, causing me to gasp.

"What's up, Bella?" Edward asks, as everyone turns to me, and I shake my head quickly.

Clearly, Marcus has a secret for a reason, and it's not mine to tell.

"N-nothing...I just realized they have ice cream!"

"Ice cream?" Jasper asks, perking up, and I know I've successfully distracted them.

Edward and Jasper head off in search of ice cream, and a couple minutes later I see Riley swoop through to pick up some dirty plates. While pointing him out to Alice, it doesn't escape me that he's now grinning ear to ear. I wonder what caused him to be so happy. When I see Marcus walk out from his house only seconds later wearing a matching grin, I have a pretty good idea and do my best to suppress my own smile.

"Mint chocolate chip, right?" asks Edward, popping in front of me.

"Huh?"

He holds out a cone of mint chocolate chip ice cream, and I accept it gladly.

"Oh, yeah," I laugh. "Thanks."

We all decide to take our ice cream cones on a walk and end up in Marcus' old tree house in the woods.

"My parents were going to tear this down, and I made them promise not to," he explains. "I still like to come out here when I need some space."

We all nod in agreement, understanding how parents can be, but for the first time, I have another layer of understanding to what Marcus is really saying.

"Hey dude," Edward says, getting Marcus' attention. "Is it cool if we smoke?"

"Be my guest," answers Marcus, and Edward doesn't waste any time in breaking out a joint.

He sparks it first and then hands it over to Marcus since it _is_ his party after all. Everyone except Alice takes a hit, and as the joint gets passed around, I take a look at everyone all stuffed together in this small tree house, sharing a joint. I'm going to miss times like these, just being together. Whether its the pot or graduation or my own tendency to get wrapped up in my head, I'm soon realizing how sad I'll be when it's all gone.

I squeeze my eyes shut tightly, hoping to keep any tears at bay, because today is a day of celebration, and I will not cry in front of my friends. Edward must sense that something is up because he taps me on the shoulder. When I turn to look at him, his face is right in front of mine, and he leans forward, pressing his lips to my own. Then, he exhales, a puff of smoke invading my mouth.

"Breathe in," he whispers , and I do, sucking the smoke into my lungs. I hold it in until I feel lightheaded and then exhale, breathing out all my melancholy as well. I remember that I still have my ice cream cone in my hand and do a little internal dance that it's not quite melted yet. With my eyelids drooping slightly, I lean back against Edward, enjoy my treat and halfway listen to the conversation around me. I'm trying to soak up as much of this while I still can.

* * *

**A/N:** Just to let you know - Instead of a new Hood chap next week, I'll be posting an extra special outtake on Sunday (I know, it's like a double dose of Stonerward. nom.) The next new Hood chap should post the following Friday (the 29th). The outtake is titled "His First Time" and if you don't have **The Director's Cut** on alert, you might want to go do that.

Oh, here's some video of a kid actually giving a Pokemon graduation speech (where I might have swiped some lines...) http:/www(DOT)youtube(DOT)com/watch?v=jxHXhuUF1Ik

And 10 points for anyone who knows who this week's director is (hints in the chap).


	29. Soderbergh & Pizza Bagels

**A/N: ***sigh* So...here we are - the last chapter of The Hood (although...there will be an epilogue up next week and a couple of outtakes so we're not totally done yet). Thanks to all you lovelies for reading along! xo

Massive big thanks and a heap load of love for my beta Char who doesn't let me get away with the cheeze. My prereaders Gin and Caren get bewbgropes and hugs for making me laugh and sigh. All of you ladies are the shiz - thanks!

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just enjoy getting them high. _

* * *

The warm water laps at my toes, and I toss my head back, allowing the sun to beat down on me. I can hear guys shouting all around me, even through my ear buds. I know they're splashing around and tossing sand at each other, and I pray that they steer clear of my space, or I'm going to have to kick some ass.

Fine. Probably not kick some ass. More like pout a whole bunch and throw a hissy fit, which is just as bad in the boys' eyes.

Thankfully, I remain sand and water free and continue to soak up the sun, eager to get whatever bit of color the finicky Pacific Northwest sun will offer me. I turn my iPod up higher, drowning out the boys' shouting and allow myself to relax, listening to my "Summer Fun" music mix. My head is nodding along to some acoustic version of Outkast's "Hey Ya," and I can feel my nose tingling from the warmth of the sun. I'm debating whether or not to put a little more sunscreen on my face when all of a sudden something large casts a shadow over me.

My hand goes up to my face to shield my eyes as I look up to see Edward's face hovering above me.

"Hey you," he says with a smile.

"Hi," I say, grinning. I pat the blanket I'm sitting on so he'll join me.

"All tuckered out?" I joke as he plops down next to me.

"Nah...just hungry. What'd you bring?"

I roll my eyes but rifle through my beach bag, knowing that if I didn't bring anything, these poor boys would go hungry.

"Um...pb&j, turkey or some veggies and hummus?"

Edward's eyes light up at the last suggestion, and laughing, I grab the bag of cut vegetables and toss it to him while I pull out the tub of hummus. Edward wastes no time digging in, and while he does so, I take the opportunity to ogle my boyfriend.

The summer has definitely treated him well. We both decided to get jobs to save up spending money for college, and while I've been busy being a nanny for two adorable girls, Edward's been working outside for some landscaping company. They have him mowing lawns and weeding yards, which sounds like a shit job to me, but Edward doesn't seem to mind. He gets to be outdoors all day and can listen to his iPod pretty much the whole time. Also, between the heavy lifting and the shirtless hours he spends under the sun, he's looking pretty damn hot.

My mind goes into hyper drive as he places his lips around a carrot stick. I know just how skillful those lips can be . In fact we've gotten many opportunities over the summer to test them out again and again. His tongue flicks out to lick off a stray dab of hummus from his lips.

_Damn._

The way his tongue slides out, wetting his lips, causing them to almost sparkle in the sun... I fan myself, trying to cool off. I may need to take a dip in the lake myself because I'm starting to get a bit overheated. I try to remind myself that we're out in public with all of our friends surrounding us, but I still can't help wondering if maybe we can just...

"Bella?"

"Hm...?" I ask, still a little dazed.

I shake my head, and look to see Edward holding out a handful of grape tomatoes.

"Aren't these your favorite?" he asks, looking slightly confused.

"What? Oh, yeah, they are." I let him know as I take them.

"Oh, good," he says with a relieved grin. "I sorted them out for you."

He goes back to eating with a proud little look on his face and that feeling of warmth spreads over me again. My boyfriend is so amazingly kickass. I pop a tomato into my mouth and slide over a few inches so I can snuggle with Edward. He's sitting with his knees bent towards him, and my hand can't help but rest atop his kneecap. After a while, my hand falls to his thigh that's only partially covered by his damp bathing suit.

My fingers tease the curls of hair sprinkled across his leg, and I can see his skin pebble up with goosebumps in response. His hand comes down to close over mine, and he squeezes it gently.

"Bella," he growls out in warning.

"Yes?" I ask, totally playing the innocent card, even though he can see through it.

Instead of answering me, he flips me over. I'm flush on my back with Edward hovering above me, his face only inches away. I can feel the heat of his breath and even smell the snack he just ate. My eyes flutter in response, and I wonder what he's going to do. Before I'm able to respond, his hands are all over my skin, tickling the shit out of me. I'm writhing and wiggling beneath him, panting for him to stop, which just increases his force.

I'm afraid I'll pee in my bikini bottoms if he keeps this up, and thankfully Jasper rescues me.

"Get a room!" he shouts, causing Edward to stop, dropping down breathless on the towel next to me.

"Shut the fuck up," Edward shouts back, flinging a carrot stick at Jasper.

I lay back down next to Edward and am about to tell him not to mess with me again when he speaks first.

"Do you want me to be walking around with a fucking woody all afternoon?" he asks in a low hiss.

"Maybe," I reply, feeling feisty.

He responds by pulling me on top of him, cupping my ass in his hands and pulling me roughly into him. I can feel his "fucking woody" push up against my thigh, and I grind down on it, causing Edward to groan.

"That's it."

He's got a wicked look on his face, and I know I'm in trouble. Using superhuman strength, he stands up and lifts me over his shoulder . I flail around like an idiot, shrieking and pounding on his back, demanding he lets me go.

Edward isn't listening to any of it as he makes a run for the old wooden platform that juts out into the lake. I'm hoping that he'll just stop short of tossing me in, but when his pace only speeds up I hold my breath and pray for the best. Instead of throwing me in, he jumps far into the lake with me, and we hit the cold water together.

"Shit that's cold!" I squeal, holding him tight.

"It's refreshing," he smirks, and I let go for second to twist his nipple.

"Ow! How would you like it if I do that to you?" he asks with a gleam in his eye.

Before I can cover up my boobs, his hands are on them. Instead of giving me a purple nurple , however, he just barely brushes over my nipples with his thumbs. I breath out a sigh, my skin already sensitive from being in the chilly water. When Edward finally does pinch them, it's less playful and more slow and teasing.

I bite my lip to prevent a moan from escaping and bury my head in the crook of his neck. Edward drops his hands from my chest and takes my hand in his, leading me around a small bend. Completely oblivious to the hoots and hollers from our friends, he pulls me with him until we're covered by a large weeping willow that's branches dip into the water. The shade from the tree cools me off even more, and I shiver.

"Maybe we should go back and get our towels?" I ask, looking up at Edward.

"I'll keep you warm," he whispers just before his lips descend on mine.

He lives up to his promise as his body presses up against mine. And while the water is cool around us, my body is heating up exponentially. Edward's hands roam across me, sliding easily against my slick skin . He toys with the string of my bikini, but I shake my head as I kiss him.

"Leave it on," I tell him before attacking his neck.

He tastes almost sweet - his own flavor mixed with the lake water. I bite and kiss and nip and then, when I find a particularly delicious expanse of skin, I suck...hard.

"Bella..." Edward groans, and I'm not sure if he's protesting me leaving my mark or not.

I decide I don't care, especially when his hands slip beneath my bikini bottom and cup my ass, squeezing it firmly. His head drops as his mouth explores the skin of my neck and chest, making me dizzy. I balance myself so I can take one hand and dip it into his bathing suit. He feels warm and hard in my hand, a complete contrast to the temperature of the lake surrounding us.

I slide my hand up and down, listening as Edward's breathing speeds up. I can't believe we're hooking up while our friends play just around the corner, but it's actually kind of hot. In fact, my entire body is sizzling with need, and I rub myself against Edward's thigh to try and get some sort of friction. Edward breaks from his own haze and his fingers find their way around to the front of my suit and then down lower, plunging in right where I need them.

The next few minutes aren't sweet and romantic, but rather heated and fast, the two of us working towards getting the other one off while so close to our own release. My face is pressed into Edward's chest so I'm not calling out, and instead I try to focus on my hand's movements, which is really difficult. Edward pulls me closer to him and twists his fingers, and I'm done for, my entire body contracting and releasing all at once. Thankfully Edward follows soon after because I'm not sure I'll be able to concentrate on much at the moment.

We step apart for a second and move away as the evidence of our fun hopefully flows in the opposite direction. Edward straightens out his bathing suit, and I do a quick check to make sure everything is in place and nothing's popped out. I turn to go back, but Edward draws me to him first, kissing my lips sweetly. I try and soak in this memory because I know that soon they'll be few and far between. I close my eyes as Edward kisses me once more, lingering a bit this time without actually moving his lips.

"Are you still coming for dinner tonight?" Edward asks hopefully, and I nod.

Since the start of the summer, the boys have instituted a weekly dinner at the Hood. All of them have been super busy with work and stuff, and they wanted to make sure to have a night they all could hang together. It's kind of sweet in the dorkiest way possible.

"What's on the menu?" I ask, and bet the answer is either pizza or nachos.

"Pizza..." Edward starts to say, and I jump in before he can finish.

"Ha, I knew it! You guys need to switch it up a bit."

Edward raises his eyebrow and shakes his head at me.

"For your information, missy, if you'd let me finish you would know that we're not just having pizza. Aro's mom bought pizza bagels. So...we're having those!" he huffs, and he's totally serious.

"My bad. I didn't realize pizza bagels were so different. Oh, right - because they're not. They're just pizza...on bagels."

Edward rolls his eyes at me and even has the gall to splash me, which leads to me splashing him back until we're in an all out splash war. When we finally calm down, I can't help but stare at him, the sun shining brightly behind him as water drips down his body with his hair all messed up.

He's gorgeous.

I take another mental snapshot of this moment to add to all the others I've taken this summer and sigh, knowing how close we are to the end. A brisk breeze that flies by only serves as another reminder that summer is soon drawing to a close. I shiver, grateful as Edward scoops me up and brings us over to our towels.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoO**

A warm shower, a change of clothes, and a few hours later finds me snuggled up next to Edward on Aro's couch in the Hood. Jasper and Alice are on the other end of the couch, whispering about something while Aro and Marcus play some backgammon on the floor.

"So, what are we watching tonight?" asks Edward as he runs his fingers up and down my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.

"Um...I don't know," says Aro looking up. "Most of my DVDs are all packed up. I...I'm leaving next week. I told you guys about the early orientation Brandeis is doing this year, right?"

He looks at all of us, a mixture of excitement and nerves spreading across his face. Everyone's silent for a moment, and it borders on awkward until Jasper pipes up.

"Oh, yeah, totally. That's going to be awesome."

Everyone murmurs their agreement but it's still pretty silent for a bit. Finally, Edward speaks up.

"You know what that means, don't you?"

Five sets of eyes stare at him and we all shake our heads.

"Since Aro is the first one to break free, we should send him off properly. Stop looking so sad, you bunch of pussies - let's celebrate! We're going to be fucking college students!"

Alice and I just shake our heads while the guys shout out a chorus of "hell yeah!" and fist bump each other. Jasper heads to the storage box in the corner and makes a huge fanfare out of pulling Frosty from it.

"Fuck yeah!" says Edward as he grabs for his pouch of weed.

All the guys grab their own stashes and start comparing what they have and what they should smoke first. It all looks the same to me, but far be it for me to actually say anything. Right before Aro goes to pack Frosty he looks up with wide eyes, as if he forgot something.

"Oh, shit! The pizza bagels!"

"Isn't your mom making them?" asks Marcus, but Aro shakes his head.

"Nah. She and my dad went out to some party at a friend's house. Shit. What do we do?"

The boys all look helplessly at each other for a moment.

"Are you guys for real?" Alice asks, raising an eyebrow. "What do you do? You make the pizza bagels by yourselves."

Edward's too focused on Frosty, which he's eagerly pulled from Aro's hands, while the rest of the guys keep staring at Alice with blank looks on their faces.

"Oh for fuck's sake," she mutters as she shakes her head. She grabs my hand and pulls me up. "Let's go make the haute cuisine that is the pizza bagel."

I give a wave to the guys in response to their "thanks!" as we walk out.

"Those boys are in for a rude awakening when they get to college. Although...Jasper has already told me he'll just survive on dining hall food and Ramen."

I laugh, wondering what will happen the first time they have to do their own laundry. When we make it to the kitchen, Alice spies the bag of bagels, and I grab some sauce and shredded cheese from the fridge. While the oven preheats we prepare the bagels and then slide them in once it's hot enough.

I hop up onto the kitchen counter while Alice sits down at a table and flips through some catalogue.

"Al..." I venture, trying to get her attention.

"Yeah?" she says as she puts the magazine down.

"You'll...you'll come visit right? And...I can come down to city?"

I'm not sure why I'm worried about asking her these questions. While we've both gone on and on about how excited we are for college, we've only briefly talked about the reality of the situation. Mostly she has comforted me, saying that Edward and I will be totally fine. There hasn't been a moment, though, to talk about _our_ friendship.

"Oh, Bella. Of course you are coming to visit! And I'll visit you!" she exclaims and then goes into a well thought out plan involving Amtrak and the weekends. Clearly, she's thought about this.

When she's done organizing the first few months of my Freshman year, I rush up to her and squeeze her tightly, giving her a huge hug.

"Love ya, Al."

"Love you too, B."

We sit and gab for a while until the pizza bagels are done. Alice finds a plate for them, and after making sure we shut the oven off, we grab a bottle of soda from the fridge and bring everything back to the Hood. When we open the door, a billowing cloud of sweetly scented smoke greets us.

"Looks like you boys have been busy," I say with a smirk.

The guys are sitting in a circle on the floor around the table with Frosty right in the center. All their eyes are a glassy red, and they grow impossibly larger when they spot the plate in my hand.

"Pizza bagels!" shouts Jasper as he clamors toward us.

"Settle down," I chastise as I grab one each for Alice and me before putting the plate down.

The boys descend on the pizza bagels like monsters, each grabbing one and digging in. Within minutes they've demolished one and are going back for another. It's a good thing we made a ton.

"So good," mumbles Aro through mouthfuls of bagel.

"Fucking delicious," echoes Edward as he wipes some stray sauce from his lips.

I sit down on the couch and nibble at my pizza bagel. They really are pretty fantastic. After we finish eating, Aro gets up to put a movie in.

"What did you guys decide on?" I ask, licking my fingers of any leftover sauce.

"_Oceans 11_," Edward answers as Aro pipes up, "We're going to watch _all_ of the _Oceans_ movies!"

"Woohoo! Movie marathon!" Jasper calls out as he settles back into the couch, pulling Alice onto his lap. "You so know I'm George Clooney."

I laugh at this and roll my eyes. Before I can call him out, Edward's already responding.

"You wish, dude. You're maybe Matt Damon. Maybe. If anything, I'm George Clooney. Or maybe Brad Pitt."

"Or a killer combination of both," I whisper so only he can hear.

"You're all delusional," states Marcus from the floor. "There's only one George Clooney. Trust."

Jasper tosses a pillow at Marcus, and we all laugh, quieting down as the movie starts up. At some point during the second one, a joint gets rolled and sparked up, finally reaching me. It's my first time smoking today, and I'm surprised I've gone this long. Most of my evenings at the Hood are spent in a delicious smoky haze.

Edward holds the joint up to my lips, and I can't help but flick my tongue out quickly to lick his finger first. When he presses the lit joint closer his fingers brush over my lips, and after I take my first toke, time slows down. I take one more, but before Edward can take his own, I grab his face and bring it so he's only inches away from mine. His cheeks are scruffy, and his five o'clock shadow is rough beneath my fingers. I stroke up and down his cheeks, reveling in the feeling.

Before I choke on it, I pass the smoke off to Edward, brushing my lips against his and exhaling into his mouth. He takes the shotgun greedily and then captures my lips in a kiss. He tastes like tomato sauce and pot and it's delicious. The joint gets passed off, and I settle into his arms. As we watch the rest of the movie, some part of us is always touching. Whether it's my back against his chest or him holding my hand when we move positions, that physical connection reminds me of what I won't have right next to me in a few weeks.

I've had a few nights where I've cried myself to sleep, thinking of the "what ifs," but I've done my best not to let it ruin my summer. As we get closer to leaving Forks, it's getting harder and harder to do so. The knot in my stomach has been growing ten-fold, and soon, it might take over completely, filling me with anxiety. I close my eyes and hope it's just the high making me all nervous.

When the second movie is done, we take a break because Marcus has to pee and Aro wants more snacks. They go into Aro's house while Jasper and Alice hang back. Edward pulls me outside, wanting a smoke.

He rolls up two cigarettes, lights them both at once, and hands me one. We find a quite spot on the side of the Hood and sit down. I look up as I exhale the smoke and am awed at the number of stars I can see on this relatively clear night.

"They're the same you know," Edward says, and I look over to see him staring at me.

"What are?" I ask, confused.

He pulls me towards him until I'm leaning against his side, and his arm goes around me, hugging me tight.

"The stars, he answers as he points up, a wispy trail of smoke following his hand.

"Oh," I say, still unsure what he means. He's probably just really high.

Edward presses a kiss to my head and takes another drag from his cigarette before stubbing it out.

"The stars...they're the same. Whether you're in Connecticut or Massachusetts. We won't be _that_ far apart. Just like eighty-five miles away or whatever," he mumbles.

I blink furiously to prevent tears from falling because I am pretty certain I'm about to cry. If I say anything, I'll probably just start sobbing, and I promised myself that I wouldn't do that tonight. This is the first time that Edward has really said something directly about us being apart. Usually he'll say stuff like "when you come down for the big Harvard/Yale football game..." or "When we're back in Forks for the holidays..." but he's never really talked about that in between time.

The time where my heart will be hurting.

I want to talk to him about this, but my head is a little cloudy and I'm not sure the words will come out right. I want to tell him that his words are beautiful, and I want to hear more. I want to tell him I love him and I'll miss him, but I don't want it to sound trite. Before I can even whisper a word of any of this, Edward's already speaking again.

"Never mind...forget I said that. It sounds totally douchey," he mumbles, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes.

I pull his hands from his face and look directly into his eyes.

"It is not douchey. It's...perfect. You're...perfect. I'm just scared."

Edward pulls me towards him and envelops me in his arms. He pulls out a joint from his pocket and lights it up, handing it to me first. I'm wary that he's sparking up in an effort to avoid the conversation, but after he's taken a toke, he pinches the cherry from the joint and buries his face in my hair.

"Bella...I'm scared too. But we'll figure it out. This shit is crazy, but it's also really exciting. We're going to fucking college. You are going to love Smith, and fuck, I'm going to Yale. That's just insane." He laughs.

I laugh with him and press my back as close to his chest as I can, soaking up his warmth. I think about how insane this whole year has actually been. We sit there in peaceful silence until I hear the hiss of a lighter and see a plume of smoke as Edward takes another hit from the joint. Silently, his hands come up to cup my face, turning me towards him. Our lips meet as he blows the smoke into my mouth. I inhale, looking him straight in his eyes.

They may be blood shot, but they also tell me everything I need to know. He loves me and I love him, and somehow, we'll figure out this mess called life together.

* * *

**A/N:** This particular version of this song immediately came to mind when I sat down to write this chapter - I highly suggest you give it a listen. sigh. http:/www(DOT)youtube(DOT)com/watch?v=8-8nkkOA_AM

Also - Besides next week's epilogue, I'm thinking of perhaps writing another 1 or 2 outtakes. If there is something special you'd like to see, please let me know! xo


	30. Epilogue

**A/N:** So, here we are...the end. Huge thanks to all of you who have read, reviewed, rec'd, etc... this fic.

So much love and thanks to my beta Char - she really makes these words pretty and I can't thank her enough for being not only a fabulous beta but a fantastic friend xo

Gin and Caren get as many bewbgropes as possible for prereading and making me giggle, laugh & snort. You're all the bees knees. Thanks for everything xo

Special thanks to my hetero- imaginary internet friend -lifemate, PerfectlyPersuasive who gave me some gold for this chapter. xo

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I think it's pretty much been established that I just enjoy getting them high._

* * *

When I wake up, I notice that somebody's left the curtains open, which allows a bright glare of sunshine to hit me square in the face. I groan, not quite ready to wake up. Rolling over, I grab my phone, checking the time, and see that it's almost noon - late by most people's standards, but not by mine. Not when I didn't go to bed until five in the morning. I toss my phone back up on the nightstand and snuggle down under the covers in hopes that I can fall back asleep.

I wiggle around, trying to get comfy when my foot hits something sharp, causing me to wince in pain. I reach down and pull back up the evil object.  
_  
Ah. My high school year book._

After an impromptu reunion last night, I had pulled it out from the back of the bookshelf excitedly, eager to reminisce and giggle at how awesome we thought we were almost seven years ago. I must have passed out before I could look at it. Seeing as how nobody's closing the shade for me and the sun is still shining as brightly as possible, I decide to flip through the pages now.

I open the thick black cover, embossed with our school's logo. The book smells a touch musty, reminding me I haven't really looked at it in quite some time. There are a few shots of our high school over various seasons, some faculty pictures, and then I come to the seniors' section. A handful of candid shots are spread across a couple of pages, and I can't help smiling when I see one of my guys. After only one year together, I remember feeling like they were all my brothers.

Well, all except for Edward, of course. No creepy incest for me, thank you very much.

They're standing in a circle, kicking a hackysack around, and I'm surprised at how young they all look. Jasper still had a bit of a baby face, and I quietly snicker, remembering how he couldn't grow a beard to save his life. It was all patchy and sparse, making him look like he had some hideous form of mange. When I saw him last night, he'd all but lost it - his face a composite of sharp eyes, angled cheekbones and a permanent five o'clock shadow.

I turn to the next page to find another photo of Jasper. For some unknown reason, he's in a garbage can with Aro standing next to him, trying to close him in with the lid. Below the photo, over a picture of Mike Newton's face, is Jasper's message to me.

_B. - Don't ever stop being your bad ass spazzy self. Photography class was fun, no doubt, but you know it was all because of me. Make sure to renew your Netflix account because you know I'll be making it bigtime, and you'll want to be renting my shit. Catch you on the flipside - J._

My eyes crinkle as a smile spreads across my face. He's always been a loveable cocky bastard, and that certainly hasn't changed. My finger traces his words, and I wonder if he actually knows how close to the truth he hit with his yearbook message to me. After four years at NYU, Jasper moved to the west coast and somehow managed to snag an internship with Kevin Smith, who doesn't actually even do internships. Jasper must have worked his charm, though. Not only has he collaborated on the latest Kevin Smith film, but Jasper has his own independent film making the festival circuit right now.

He's in New York for the week promoting his movie, hoping to get it picked up by a big time distributor. In between showings of the film and interviews, he had some down time, allowing all of us to converge in Manhattan for a night out. Everyone met up in the city to watch a screening of Jasper's movie before heading into downtown for dinner and drinks. Living the LA life hasn't changed Jasper at all. He still manages to be ridiculously annoying and unfailingly sweet all at once. Only, now, with a lot more money and better weed.

Oh, the weed...

I can feel the sludge settling in my lungs as I recall the blunt we all shared as we walked back to the subway stop. That shit was solid gold, and the guys all got off on how amazing it was. Jasper mentioned something about it being locally grown and organic, and he actually procured it somewhat legally from a pot store in LA. California seems awesome.

I keep flipping through the yearbook but stop when I reach our senior portraits. They weren't anything overly special - just a step up from a Sears' photo, really. Aro's face pops up first. His clear eyes stare back at me, causing me to grin.

While out last night, we randomly ran into some Brandeis alums that Aro knows, and hearing them call him Zachary, repeatedly, was strange. While he still responds to Aro, he's now Zachary Aronstein, attorney at law. Based out of Boston, Aro specializes in patent law and is apparently a big deal within his law firm. While we were on our second round of drinks, he went on and on about some new case he's working on. I zoned out after the first few minutes, choosing instead to gossip with Alice, but the guys seemed totally into it. That possibly could have been because the case has something to do with video games, and despite being almost twenty-five, the boys are still eighteen at heart.

Flipping through the rest of the senior portraits, I roll my eyes when I notice that somebody drew a set of devil horns on Lauren Mallory. Poor thing. I have no clue what she's doing now, but I'm sure she's still a catty bitch. When I get to the last page of seniors, I stifle a giggle at Alice's picture. Despite not going to our school, Alice taped her photo in my yearbook and then proceeded to write a full page's worth of a note to me. It's filled with multicolored writing, doodles and the promise to never stop being "bffs."

We both definitely held true to that one. Hardly a day went by that Alice and I weren't in contact. Sometimes it would be an hour long phone call or weekend visit, and other times I'd just leave a note on her Facebook wall or she'd send me a short email. We relied heavily on each other and still do.

She's the one I call after a long day at work, where I feel like nothing I do matters, despite how hard I try. She reminds me how much I love my job, even when I'm dealing with kids who seem to want nothing to do with me. Alice was there when I graduated with my degree in sociology, and she's the one who pushed me to continue on for my Masters. We're good at that...pushing each other.

I gave her the push that landed her in LA with Jasper. Now she works at a cute boutique selling way too expensive but super adorable clothes. She's gotten in good with the owner, and Alice shared the good news with us last night that soon some of her own designs will be sold at the boutique. I can't wait to see her clothes hanging up in the storefront window, and make a mental note to check for plane tickets later today. A trip out to sunny California sounds perfect right about now.

I keep leafing through the yearbook, and somewhere wedged in between the band geeks and the doofy-looking wrestling team, I find Marcus' note to me.

_Bella - You're like the little sister I never wanted. Just kidding. You're actually pretty cool. I hope you know how awesome you have it. Don't ever forget. - Marcus._

My hand swipes at my eyes as tears prick at the corners of them. Stupid Marcus, making me get all weepy like that. I think back to last night, as Marcus sat at the table, laughing loudly, his hand never leaving that of his boyfriend Garrett's. It's only been a couple of years since Marcus has officially come out, but I think, deep down, the guys had some sort of clue. I know that I certainly did...especially after his graduation party.

When Marcus did officially come out, all the guys were cool with it, but I could tell Edward was a little hurt. He didn't quite understand why his friend hid this huge secret from him. It wasn't my place to help explain it to him though, but eventually he understood. He and Marcus have been close ever since and make sure to hang out whenever the opportunity arises. In addition to all of us and Garrett, Marcus has a close knit group of friends that care for him deeply, which is fortunate, considering his parents completely disowned him when he came out. He ended up paying for his last year of college by himself but has been an incredibly successful graphic designer since then.

Yawning, I flip through the rest of the yearbook, laughing at how dorky we were and sighing when I see candid photos of us from prom. There are a bunch of familiar faces smiling out at me, and a ton of ones that I just can't place anymore. I read through a few more notes from people until I get to the back cover. There, in the bottom corner, are a few words that still make my heart flutter when I read them.

_"She's got everything delightful, she's got everything I need. A breeze in the pines and the sun and bright moonlight, lazing in the sunshine yes indeed."  
You're my sugar magnolia. - E.C._

Sure...quoting the Grateful Dead might have been a little cliche, but Edward knew it would make me weak in the knees. He played that song for me so many times during that summer before college began.

My eyes squeeze shut as I think back, wondering when the last time I heard that song was. Edward and I struggled during that first year as we tried our best to see each other often and keep up our relationship. It was harder than we both thought. There were no private concerts that first summer we returned to Washington. In fact, it was filled with lots of arguments and tears, and finally Edward leaving to head back to Connecticut early.

I hardly saw him our Sophomore year. We pretended to keep things going for the first month or two, but we both knew it wasn't working. Neither of us were happy or even trying to make it work really, so we ended it. Instead, I immersed myself in school, really getting to know the other girls in my department. I had put that all off the first year while I was still trying to give my all to Edward. With Edward gone, my heart hurt, and I spent many days holed up in my dorm room eating cartons of ice cream and watching bad TV. Thankfully, after a few weeks, I was easily distracted by the fun college life I'd neglected my Freshman year.

I became well acquainted with which bars would serve us underage girls and had a blast dancing all night at house parties. I even fell prey to the Smith stereotype and tried the lez thing for like a week, but decided I never wanted to date anyone again with hair longer than mine.

When the end of Sophomore year loomed close, I ended up deciding to stay in Massachusetts, renting a room in a house with some friends and working at a local ice cream shop. I dated and enjoyed the summer, but I never stopped missing Edward. The guys I dated after him all seemed like place holders...never quite filling the huge void he left.

I frown, thinking of this time, and place the yearbook away, rolling over to snuggle up close to the warm body laying next to me. My arms thread themselves around a waist, and I pull the warmth towards me, earning a grunt.

"Mmm...what time is it?" Edward asks, and I squeeze him tight, wondering how I almost let this slip through my fingers.

"Late. After noon, I'm pretty sure," I answer. "We told Alice and Jasper we'd meet them for an early dinner before their flight leaves. So we should get up soonish."

Edward flips over and places a kiss on my forehead.

"Soon, baby, soon."

He buries his head in between my neck and his pillow and moves his hand lazily up my body to settle on my boob, like it's his security blanket or something. I allow my eyes to flutter closed, remembering how Edward and I randomly ran into each other at a concert in Connecticut our senior year of college. The second we saw each other, it was like all of the fighting and tears and stupid stuff we went through meant nothing and we ended up spending the rest of the night catching up, basically ignoring the music we had come to see.

I had already decided to continue on for my Masters' and had applied to a few schools in Connecticut, since I ended up falling in love with New England. Edward was continuing on at Yale, opting for their rigorous medical school program. I ended up moving to New Haven that summer, and we started dating again. Now, it's a year later. We're living together, and it's never been better.

My fingers ruffle Edward's hair as I yawn, and I know we should be getting up soon, so I give him a bit of a shake.

"Come on, Edward. We need to wake up."

"Mmm..." Edward sighs as he fumbles around for something on his beside table, and I hear the familiar hiss of a lighter. "You mean wake and bake, Bella. Wake and bake."

* * *

**A/N: And there we have it kids...**

**There are still a couple of outtakes that I'll be posting in The Director's Cut (found on my profile), but for all intents and purposes, the adventures of Stonerward and the gang from the Hood are done. Thanks for joining me on this superfun ride!**

**I do have another story in the works that I'll be posting soon. It's a short ficlette and is completely the opposite of this fic...meaning it's a sad, angsty mess. So, if you're into that kind of thing, feel free to put me on author alert. I will post it in the next week or two!**


	31. Not Fade Away

**A/N:** I wrote this outtake for the Fandom Against Domestic Violence fundraiser. They raised a phenomenal $2645! It always amazes me when this fandom can come together to make a difference.

This takes place between the last chapter and the epilogue.

Big thanks to Lexiecullen17 for being my bombtastic beta and to HunterHunting and CarenL for being kickass prereaders. An extra shout out of thanks to bmango - my phishy soul sister!

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I just enjoy getting them high!_

* * *

I watch as Leah stares at the man in an orange reflector vest. He looks a bit nervous, standing there with his hand stuck out, as he shifts uncomfortably under Leah's glare.

"What the ever loving fuck?" Leah growls as she digs through her bag, finally finding some cash. "Twenty fucking dollars to park, and we're not even in the damn venue!"

I pass Leah a ten, hoping that helps calm her rage somewhat. Although, to be honest, I have to agree. It's pretty much highway robbery. They know you have no other place to park, so they stick you for twenty bucks just because they can. I guess it's just one more reason I'm glad we carpooled. From the backseat, I watch as Emily reaches over and strokes Leah's face.

"Don't let this get to you, babe. You're right. It's absolutely lame, but there's not much we can do about it now. So, let's just have a good time! Plus...you know what I heard?" Emily asks, throwing me a wink. "I heard that Swan brought some treats..."

At the mention of food, Leah's ears perk up and the pissed off look on her face melts into one of intrigue. The parking attendant is forgotten as Leah pulls into a spot and looks noticeably more relaxed.

I smile to myself, loving the way that Emily can almost effortlessly calm down Leah. They work well together, and I'm more than lucky to count both of them as my friends. We met Freshman year, when Emily and I were in the same dorm. Leah came along a semester later when Emily met her in a class. The three of us now hang out together all the time, and I'm excited to be sharing this concert experience with them...albeit, ten dollars lighter.

"Want kind of treats you got, Swan?" Leah asks, so I dig into my bag until I hit gold.

I hold up the baggie and shake it in front of Leah.

"Ganja goo balls, bitch!"

We all break down laughing, and I take one out, breaking it into thirds. I pass some to the girls, and we clink them together, giggling as we say "Cheers!" I take a bite, and suddenly I'm in heaven.  
_  
Mmm..._

This is a pretty kickass batch. I mean, really, you can never go wrong with goo balls, but I totally hit these ones out of the park: Rice Krispies, oatmeal, peanut butter, honey, mini chocolate chips and a crapload of ganja butter. I finally look up to see that both Emily and Leah have finished their pieces and are licking their lips hungrily.

"Nope," I scold. "No more until we get inside. This is your first Phish show, and I don't want you to experience your first song totally fucked up. Just a little bit."

Emily's pout does her no good as I shake my head.

"No way. But I swear, once the first set starts, I'll break out some other stuff," I promise with a grin.

Emily claps and does a little dance in her seat before grabbing her purse off the floor and getting out of the car. Leah, on the other hand, is a bit more reserved.

"You better, Swan. Because lord knows I'll need to be high to deal with all this hippy crap," she spouts off before making her way out of the car as well.

I shake my head as I gather up my stuff. Despite her brusque attitude, I know that Leah is happy to be here. Underneath her rough exterior is a fierce and loyal friend, and it was really her and Emily (with about a million Skype sessions with Alice) that got me through the whole break up. Before I leave the car, I pull the few joints that I've brought with me and tuck them into my bra. I'm not chancing some security guy snagging them from my bag. After I've readjusted myself, I slip out just in time to catch up with Emily and Leah.

We make the walk to the Comcast Theater, and I find myself remembering why I love late August shows in New England. It's still warm enough during the day to wear a dress, and in fact I have my favorite spinning dress on. I scored this blue and purple spaghetti strap dress at Goodwill, and after a few alterations to the skirt, it flairs out awesomely when I dance.

As we walk down the sidewalk, there are folks around us with their pointer fingers in the air, and some of them are asking for a miracle.

"What the fuck, Swan? Are we in Jesus country?" Leah asks, and I have to laugh. I don't think many people would call Hartford, Connecticut "Jesus Country."

"A miracle is a free ticket," I explain. "All these people with their finger in the air are hoping to score a ticket and a bunch of them are hoping not to pay."

Emily nods in understanding, and I swear I can hear Leah mumble under her breath something about "hippy fucking bullshit." We're pretty close to the venue now, and we have to walk through the official Comcast Theater parking lot to get in.

"Stay close," I instruct my friends as we make our way through all the tailgaters. "I'm going to take you through Shakedown."

In addition to all of the people who are hanging out by their cars cooking food and drinking beers, there is an entire section of the lot that's dedicated to something called Shakedown. It's full of unlicensed vendors selling anything from delicious grilled cheese sandwiches to t-shirts and even glass pieces. I stop to look at a guy who has a black briefcase full of beautiful glass one hitters. Emily and Leah are inspecting some hand blown glass jewelry, but in the end, none of us get anything.

"This place is unreal," Emily exclaims, as she takes it all in. "It's like an outdoor mall."

I nod, grabbing her hand and tugging her towards a food vendor. The guy is also selling beer, so I buy three bottles of Sam Adams, knowing I'll pay way less out here then I will inside the venue. As I go to take the beer, the guy selling them keeps his hand on mine for a second.

"Hey, pretty mama," he says. "How about some phat veggie burritos? One for three, two for five?"

I pull my hand away from his and look over at my girls. They shrug, so I politely decline and make my way back over to Leah and Emily, beers in hand. We down our bottles as we walk through the rest of Shakedown and am pleasantly surprised when I see Emily buy a necklace from somebody else. I love that they're getting into the spirit of things. Every so often, a wave of happy cheering rushes through the crowd, and we join them, whooping and hollering away.

We finally make it through the lot to the venue and wait in line with everyone else to pass through security. Thankfully, I only get a quick pat down and a peek in my bag before I'm ushered through. After having our tickets scanned, I grab the joints from my bra and place them back in my bag. We make a quick pit stop at the bathroom for Emily before heading up to the lawn. I wasn't able to get three tickets together in the seats, so instead we're going to chill on the lawn, which is always fun for a summer show. We walk up the stairs and then proceed up the steep hill until we find a decent spot.

Plopping down on the ground, I take in the crowd around us. It's a crazy mix of frat boys, dreadies, hippie chicks and random old folks. My eyes scan the crowd, trying to see if I spot anybody I recognize.

"Stop it," Leah warns, and I give her a questioning look. "You know what I'm talking about, Swan."

My eyes drop from the people around us, and I find myself tucking in to Leah's outstretched arm. She strokes my hair soothingly while Emily tries to whisper words of reassurance to me.

They really are the best.

When things with me and Edward hit the fan, both Leah and Emily were there to trash talk him, comfort me with ice cream and chick flicks, and help me get back on my feet. They saw me at my worst, and they know all my secrets. They know that they're not only here to enjoy their first Phish show. They're also here as backup in case we run into...him. Because they know that all it would take is one look and I'd be gone.

Emily and Leah both know that I'm not over Edward Cullen. That despite the fact that it really was for the best that we broke up two years ago, I've never truly gotten over him. No guy has been just right, and I always find myself comparing whatever new date I'm on to Edward. It's never really fair. I'm not certain that he's here, but I have a feeling that he is. There's no way he'd pass up a Phish show this close to his school.

So, despite the fact that my eyes are straining to see shocks of cinnamon colored hair somewhere in this crowded amphitheater, I do my best to push those thoughts to the side, ready to enjoy a night of fun times with my girls and kickass music.

We people watch for a while, enjoying Leah's dry but absolutely hilarious commentary. We do end up seeing a few people we recognize from school and end up chatting with them for a bit before they move on. It's a little bit after eight, and as the sun starts to set you can feel the energy in the place start to rev up. The background music that had been pumped in shuts off, and a split-second hush falls over the crowd as four men take the stage. In an instant I'm up on my feet, screaming with everyone else. We all wait, anticipation coursing through us, wondering what the first song of the night will be. As soon as those couple of notes hit the air, I make an embarrassing shout of glee followed by a fist pump.

"Meatstick!" I can't help but call out, thrilled that they're starting the show with the most ridiculous song ever.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Emily give Leah a strange look, but soon she's bopping her head along to the infectious beat as the boys begin to play. After a bit, the chorus hits and along with all the other fans around me, I belt out the lyrics and may or may not do the accompanying dance.

"Time for the meatstick, bury the meatstick, take out the meatstick time! Whoa, shocks my brain! Whoa-oh..."

"Okay, Swan," Leah says, shaking me out of my meatstick haze. "This is just beyond anything I signed up for. If you want me to stay you better give up the goods."

I whip around to see her staring at me, hand held out and a resolute look on her face. I know that look. It's her "I mean business" one, and you don't want to fuck around with Leah when she gives it to you. I dig through my purse and find a joint, passing it to her as fast as I can. Leah sparks up less then a second later before offering me a hit. I gladly accept and then pass the joint on to Emily, who takes it with a grin. After taking a hit of her own, she returns it to Leah, who yanks it away before flopping down on the grass to smoke. Emily sticks it out and actually looks like she's enjoying herself, at least if her shimmy shake of a dance has anything to say about it.

Happy that my friends are currently appeased, I allow myself to get lost in the music. The set jumps around from a funky jam to some spacey noodling, and I'm dancing all over the place, allowing my skirt to spin, spin, spin. As the music slows down into a more mellow number, I realize that I've strayed away from Emily and Leah. It's gotten dark enough that I can't see them from where I am, so I start heading back in the direction that I think I came from.

I do my best to make my way through the dancing crowds, trying not to step on people who are either sitting or passed out on the ground. I think I see Emily in the distance and walk that way until my attention is pulled by the first few notes of Tweezer...I love this fucking song.

Soon, I'm in my own world again, dancing and grooving. I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn around, expecting to see Emily or Leah. Instead, it's a tall guy wearing a Yale baseball hat. I swear I feel my heart skip a beat.

"E-Emmett?" I ask, squinting. It's dark and the rim of his hat covers most of his face, but I'd recognize him anywhere.

"Hey, Bells!" he shouts out, his voice carrying loudly across the music.

We stare at each other for a second before it gets a little uncomfortable. The gnawing feeling in my stomach turns into a heavy weight as I realize that if Emmett is here, Edward is most likely nearby.

Edward and Emmett actually became good friends after he started going to Yale. When I would come down for visits, we'd all hang out and even Rosalie grew on me. However, I haven't seen either of them since we broke up, and I'm not really sure how to act. I wonder what Edward told them. Thankfully, we move away from the awkward pause when Emmett hands me a small glass pipe.

"Want a hit?" he asks, and I immediately grab for it.

"Thanks," I mumble as I try to light up. The warm wind keeps whipping at me, not allowing the lighter to stay lit. Emmett uses his body to shield the wind and cups his hands over the pipe, finally letting me get a good flame.

I hold the smoke in as long as I can, letting it seep in, suddenly craving the high. At least my brain will be fuzzy enough not to worry too much about Edward. I roll my eyes, knowing that even if I was high off the dankest weed, my mind would still be focused on him. My only hope is that Emmett somehow wandered off like I did, and we're nowhere near Edward at the moment.

Of course, my luck is the shittiest ever.

"Hey bro, where'd you run off to with my pipe?"

I don't even need to look up to see who it is. I'm not sure what to do. My heartbeat speeds up, and I start to breathe really fast. I can feel the palms of my hands get sweaty, and I shiver, so I wrap my arms around myself.  
_  
Please don't notice me. Please don't notice me.  
_  
"Hey, Ed. Look who I ran into."  
_  
Fuck you, Emmett._

I turn slightly, thankful that my hair has fallen into my face, partially obscuring it. My hair veil doesn't deter him as I watch his face shift in recognition. Edward's mouth falls open, but he recovers quickly, despite the lingering look of shock in his eyes. I can't hold back the small gasp that escapes me as his hand shoots forward, pushing away the strands of hair from my face. His fingers brush the upper edge of my cheek and then my ear as he tucks the hair behind it. If I wasn't having a panic attack before, I'm certainly having one now.

Nobody is talking, and in fact, I can't even see Emmett anymore. The music fades to the background, and all I can focus on is Edward.  
_  
Damn him and his mojo!_

Our eyes are locked, and neither of us is willing to break the stare first. Despite keeping my gaze firmly attached to his, I can still see that the corners of his lips are turning up into a smile. I wonder if he's actually happy to see me. I try to decide if I'm happy to see him. It's not like I've been completely devoid of Edward since our breakup. Although, if you ask Leah or Emily, they'd say I haven't seen or spoken with him since. And that's true.

Kind of.

I mean, there _is_ Facebook. And while we totally stopped being Facebook friends when we broke up, he still gets tagged in albums of friends. So...I may still be able to see him. And damnit. Those grainy Facebook pictures don't do him justice.

He looks amazing.

His eyes are still the fierce green ones that I remember with red spidery veins speckled through the whites. His hair is a little shorter, but it's still super shaggy, and I wonder if it feels the same to run my hands through it. I actually have to clench my hands to the sides of my body to stop myself from reaching out and touching it. I want to say hi to him. I want to ask him how he's doing, how school is going for him. I want to know what I've missed in the last couple of years, but I can't speak, not wanting to end this moment we have.

Unfortunately, the moment ends only seconds later, but not because of either of us. A pair of arms slide around Edward's waist from behind him as a giggly voice breaks into our bubble.

"Where'd you go silly? You said you'd be right back. I missed you!"

The high-pitched voice snaps me back to reality, and my head whips around to get a better look at who it belongs to. She's petite and blond and her boobs are bigger than mine, but when she gives me a smile I can see that her front teeth are kind of crooked.

_Ha._

I want to reprimand myself for thinking such a bitchy thought, but she's touching Edward, my Edward. Even though we've been broken up since Sophomore year, something inside me calls out possessively to him, and I want to rip the girl's hands off him. But of course, I don't. And instead, I just give them a weak smile before mumbling something about having to go off and search for my friends. I wave at them and thank Emmett for the pot before hightailing it the fuck out of there.

I only make it past another handful of people before I hear my name being called.

"Bella! Bella! Wait! Please stop!"

I turn around to see Edward rushing over, waving a glowstick in his hand to flag me down. He looks a little ridiculous, and I can't help but stop, giggling a little. When he finally reaches me, I just stare at him, not trusting myself to speak.

"Um, you, uh.." He stumbles with his words, and I wonder what's so important. "You forgot your lighter."

He hands me a little pink Bic lighter that I must have dropped after I smoked. I take it from him, my heart hurting that he ran after me for a damn lighter.

"Thanks," I manage to mutter before turning around.

His hand on my arm stops me.

"That's not all. Wait. How...how are you?"

Are we really going to do this now? He wants to know how I am? I shake my head, still not really believing he's here and we're talking right now.

"I'm okay. I'm great, really," I say, trying to sound like I mean it. And, in general, I _am_ really great. I'm kicking ass in my classes and enjoying my studies and my part time job. My friends are amazing, and I love my little town. In fact, there's not much missing...really.

"That's...that's really great Bella," he says, and while his tone remains nonchalant, his eyes look sad. "So, um...who are you here with?"

"Friends," I answer, and his question makes me realize that I need to get back to Emily and Leah.

"Oh." And I swear I see his face fall a little. "I guess I'll let you get back to them, then."

And then, out of nowhere words tumble out of my mouth.

"You can join me, if you want..."

I could blame it on the pot. I could blame it on being swept away in the magical vibe that is a Phish concert. But the reality is that I just want to spend a few more minutes with Edward. I sneak a glance at him, and I can see the surprised look in his face. He shakes it off only seconds before nodding and telling me to lead the way.

Edward follows behind me as I weave through the crowd. While he's not touching me, I can still feel him behind me, that crazy electricity between us as hot as ever. I finally spot Emily, who's now sporting at least five glow rings as necklaces. I rush up to her and pull her into a hug.

"Please help me make sure Leah doesn't make a big scene. Please," I whisper in her ear.

Before Leah even realizes I'm back, Emily takes in the scene and then quickly bends down to say something to Leah. I cringe, waiting to see what's going to happen, but whatever Emily said seems to have worked, because I only get a judgemental glare, which is way better than a heated lecture.

By this point, Edward's caught up with me, and as soon as he sees Leah, I can see he's uneasy. She may not have had some kind words for him the last time she spoke to him, but I'm hoping they can both overlook that at the moment.

"So, look who I ran into," I say, trying to be all light and carefree, despite the fact that I'm still dealing with an internal battle. Even though it's been two years, seeing him like this has me reeling.

"Hey, Edward," Emily offers, and her smile is a kind one.

"Edward," Leah manages to spit out, but I notice she hardly looks at him.

"Hey," is Edward's reply, and I can tell he's super uneasy now. "So, um...is that it?"

I turn and look at him, not sure what he means.

"I mean, are you here with anyone else?" he clarifies as he looks around.

I shake my head and frown.

"Nope, just my girls."

I swear that for a moment, Edward actually looks relieved. I raise my eyebrow in question, but he just shakes his head and starts rolling a cig. By the time he starts to smoke it, the band brings the funk with a super hot "You Enjoy Myself" and the crowd goes wild. We all start dancing, even Leah, and whatever weirdness surrounded us is gone for the time being. The song closes the set and bright lights turn on as soon as the band leaves the stage. There's usually about a half hour of intermission, and I wonder if Edward is going to leave us now.

Instead, he hangs around while we sit on the grass and shoot the shit. We talk about the first set, and it's interesting hearing Leah and Emily's thoughts. Edward and Leah actually get into a pretty intelligent discussion about the music, and it's so easy to slip back into that comfortable space of feeling like two couples. Only, while Emily is sitting in Leah's lap and they're holding hands, Edward is sitting kind of far from me with no touching going on whatsoever.

Edward and I don't talk too much, but he keeps looking at me, his eyes slipping to mine during his heated conversation. I feel my cheeks heat up each time he glances my way, and I know those old feelings are still there. I'm almost glad we don't have a chance for a private conversation, however. When the lights start to dim for the second set, I see Edward looking at me questioningly.

"What?" I ask, clearly having missed something.

"I asked if you wanted to come down into the seats with me. I have two stubs and thought you might want to see the show from up close."

I don't even hesitate. While being up on the lawn is fun, there's something awesome about being able to experience a show closer to the stage.

"Let's do it!" I shout, and as I'm about to sprint down the hill, I'm stopped by a firm grip on my upper arm.

I turn around to see Leah giving me a death stare.

"Um, give me a second?" I ask Edward and he nods, scooting away just enough to give us a bit of privacy.

"While I still maintain that he can be a huge douche, he definitely seems to be cool tonight. But, Swan," she warns in a hiss. "Don't you dare fall for any half-assed apologies or promises. You are Bella Fucking Swan, and you deserve the fucking best. Don't let those puppy dog eyes and killer cheek bones sway you in the least. We'll meet you at the car right after the show. You better be there with all your clothes intact."

I want to bust on her for mentioning Edward's cheek bones, but I refrain. Instead, I nod solemnly and give her a hug, whispering thanks for before I pull away. I feel Leah slip something into my hand before I leave, and I look down, confused at the little silver canister I'm now holding.

"It's pepper spray," she says, loud enough so that Edward can hear. "You know, in case he thinks he can get handsy with you. Don't be afraid to use it!"

I shake my head and pocket the spray before nudging Edward to get moving. He waves at the girls, flashing Leah a huge smile before placing his hand on my lower back and ushering me through the throngs of people.

"You wouldn't really use that spray on me, would you?" he asks, a touch of anxiety lacing his voice.

"You wouldn't actually give me cause to, right?" I counter, and it seems I've rendered him speechless.

We make our way to the seats and flash our ticket stubs to the security guard at the top. He waves us through, and we bound down, making our way to the section printed on the tickets. The band is off in a spacey "Ghost" jam, and as soon as we reach our seats we're both dancing. By the end of the song, I'm grinning so hard from the killer music and the way my body feels from all the dancing. There's a pause in music as the band figures out what to play next.

"Where's the rest of your crew?" I ask Edward.

"Probably back up on the lawn. I snagged these tickets from Bree."

"Bree?"

"Um yeah," he says, with a shrug. "The girl you kind of met. When you were with Emmett?"

Oh, Bree. The big boobed blonde, who had her paws all over you. Right. Bree.

"She's a friend of Rosalie and her dad works for some big company in Hartford that gets first crack at tickets to this place, and she got these killer seats, but since everyone else was up on the lawn..."

I'm not sure how Edward ended up with these tickets, and I don't know if I want to. He must sense my annoyance, though, because he leans down to whisper in my ear.

"She doesn't even like the band. And she's not..." He mumbles the rest of his words, and I can't quite make them up. When I look over at him, hoping he'll repeat himself, he looks away, averting my eyes.

I shrug it off as Edward being Edward and disregard it completely when the band starts back up with a fast song. We're back to dancing and laughing and catching each other's gaze when they pull out some sick stuff like a really funky bass line or make up new lyrics to a song. It feels friendly, easy, but it's hard to ignore that underlying tension crackling beneath it all. The songs switch up again, and it's something slow, something entirely too familiar. They're singing the song that Edward was playing before we kissed for the first time. I don't look at him. In fact, I look everywhere except at him.

Only...Edward is making that really difficult. I'm standing there, swaying to the sweet sounds when I feel a hand brush up against mine. I look down and see Edward's hand dangerously close to mine. In fact, it's so close that it wouldn't be hard at all to just grab his hand and hold it. But instead, I stay still, my eyes trained downward. The song continues, and I feel as if Edward's moved closer to me, and suddenly his hand has engulfed mine, and he's squeezing and it feels so damn good.

So familiar. And just so, so good.

I still don't look at him, and instead I squeeze his hand back.

I wonder if we're going to have a talk, but of course, this is Edward and words are few and far between. Instead, he lights up a joint. The sweet, cloying smell floats around us, and I hold out my free hand so he can pass the joint to me. Only he doesn't. With the joint firmly between his fingers, he uses his hand to turn my chin up so that I'm looking at him. My eyes are watering from the smoke, but when he removes his hand, I don't look away. I stay, staring him right into his eyes.

"Are you..." he starts, his words not entirely clear. "I mean, do you...are you seeing anyone?"

I shake my head and throw the question back at him.

"You?"

He shakes his head so fast that his hair flops in front of his eyes, and I smile. He takes another toke and then leans in, raising his eyebrow in question. I nod, hoping for the shotgun I think is coming. I am not disappointed.

Edward's lips eagerly fuse to mine and suddenly a billow of smoke fills my mouth, and I inhale it down. I feel brave and press my lips to his in a kiss before pulling back to blow the smoke out. Any pretense is gone and Edward's lips are suddenly on mine, and his kiss is so familiar yet still so invigorating. My body feels alive for the first time in a long while, and I keep kissing him, wanting the feeling to last forever.

Finally we break apart, both of us gasping for air. But we never once look away from each other. We both know there is still much to say, but not here, not now. Instead, we enjoy the rest of the concert together, our hands never parting. As the second encore is played and the bright lights eventually turn on, I hold tight to his hand, unwilling to let the magic end.

Edward decides to walk me to Leah's car, texting Emmett that he'll meet him in a few. Right before we reach the car, he stops and pulls me into the shade of a nearby tree.

"I...Can I call you?" he asks, and I nod.

"Of course. Please. Yes," I spit out, and hope I don't sound too eager.

Edward laughs, and I decide I don't care. I know we have a lot to talk about and issues to figure out, but for now, in this moment, it's enough. I wrap my arms around him and pull him into a hug.

"I've missed you," I mumble into his shirt, and I feel his hold on me tighten.

"Fuck. Me too, Bella. Me too."

We stand there hugging each other for a moment, and suddenly Edward's chest starts shaking slightly as he begins humming something. It's familiar, but I can't quite place it. He doesn't relent when I ask him to tell me what it is.

"It's Grateful Dead by way of Buddy Holly" is all he'll say, and then he distracts me with his lips.

We kiss for a minute longer before my phone starts vibrating and doesn't let up.

"I...I need to go, or else Leah's going to come looking for us, and you know she won't shy away from her pepper spray," I say with a laugh.

Edward grimaces but gives me a quick peck on the forehead before finally releasing me. I wave goodbye, and as I make my way to Leah's car, I feel my phone vibrate again, and I grab it, ready to tell Leah to cool it, but instead I find a text from Edward.

**A lover's love, not fade away...**

**

* * *

A/N: **To get the feel of the concert, check out this fab video of Phish (and friends) playing _Meatstick_ this past new years eve (and I got to be there - so. much. fun!) http:/www(DOT)youtube(DOT)com/watch?v=vkgwhc3cSh0


End file.
